ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday praised the Kurdistan Region for staying out of the escalating war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, warning regional actors not to “fall for” attempts to stir conflict in the region.
“We welcome the statements made by our brothers in the Iraqi Kurdish region, and wholeheartedly believe that they will not fall into that trap,” Erdogan said. “No one should make any miscalculations and fall for the Zionist massacre gang’s trap to pit brother against brother.”
The Kurdistan Region has repeatedly reaffirmed that it will not side with any party in the US-Israel war against Iran and will not allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks against neighboring countries. Despite these assurances, the Region has come under numerous attacks by Iran and allied Iraqi armed groups, who claim they are targeting US-linked positions.
Erdogan’s remarks come after recent reports about an alleged CIA plan to arm and support Iranian Kurdish opposition parties based in the Kurdistan Region to launch ground operations into predominantly Kurdish western Iran (Rojhelat), against the Islamic republic.
Last week, United States President Donald Trump held phone calls with several Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish leaders.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. File photo: AFP
Turkey09/03/2026
Erdogan praises Kurdistan Region’s neutrality in Iran-Israel-US war
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Several Kurdish opposition groups categorically rejected the reports.
However, Trump said on Saturday, “They’re willing to go in, but I’ve told them I don’t want them to go in,” Trump said. “The war is complicated enough as it is… We don’t want to see the Kurds get hurt or killed.”
Erdogan also warned that any developments that could destabilize the region would be opposed by Ankara.
“Let me once again point out that we stand up in the strongest manner against every kind of scenario which will hinder our terror-free Türkiye process, and which will deal a blow to the tranquility and stability of our region,” he said.
His remarks come as Turkey pursues a renewed peace process following jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan’s historic call in February 2025 for the group to disarm, followed by a unilateral PKK ceasefire.
In February, Turkish lawmakers approved a report laying the groundwork for PKK fighters who renounce violence to reintegrate into Turkish society, though it stopped short of granting a full amnesty.
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