PUK President Warns Kurds Being “Tip of the Spear” in Regional Conflicts Would Be a Disaster

PUKMEDIA

PUK President during an interview with Piers Morgan.

Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), said he firmly believes placing the Kurdish people at the forefront of regional conflicts would be “an absolute disaster,” adding that in his communications with various Kurdish groups, many appear to understand the risks of such a role.

Speaking in an interview with Piers Morgan on the programme Piers Morgan Uncensored, President Bafel discussed the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, while highlighting the risks facing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

“The people of Kurdistan are certainly terrified,” PUK President told Morgan. “Iraq is under a lot of pressure.”

Addressing the lack of a civilian uprising inside Iran despite heavy bombardment, PUK President said a “three-pronged” fear was holding the population back.

Beyond the immediate danger of airstrikes, he said many Iranians fear their country could fall into the same cycle of instability experienced by neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.

“The Persians are a very well-educated, beautiful people,” PUK President said. “It is difficult for them to see themselves going through what these countries around them have gone through.”

Another important point of discussion was when President Bafel also rejected reports claiming Kurdish armed groups were launching CIA-backed ground incursions into Iran from Iraqi territory, describing the claim as both incorrect and politically “disastrous.”

He pointed to the demographic complexity of the region, noting that many Iranian Kurds are Shia and integrated into the state. President Bafel warned that any Kurdish-led attack would trigger a backlash from the Iranian public and could also draw the ire of Türkiye, further destabilising the region.

“I firmly believe that kurds being the tip of the spear is an absloute disaster and in my communications with the different Kurdish groups, I think alot of them understand this, he said.

Reflecting on a call with Donald Trump, President Bafel said he sensed “a genuine caring,” suggesting the U.S. president felt “forced” into military escalation rather than actively seeking it.

The interview concluded with a reflection on Iraq’s recent history. President Bafel agreed that despite 20 years of “pitiless combat,” Iraq is in a better place today than under the previous dictatorship, while warning that current tensions could threaten the country’s progress.


PUKMEDIA