As the war that began between the United States and Iran spreads across the Middle East and the Gulf countries, Kurdish parties in Eastern Kurdistan (Rojhilatê Kurdistan) have come together under the umbrella of the “Alliance of Political Forces of Rojhilat” to protect their people and national achievements. The parties, which for years had fought separately against the Iranian regime’s policies of denial and repression, spoke with one voice on February 22. This was welcomed with great joy by the Kurdish people, as it marked the first time Kurds in Rojhilat decided to act jointly for their fundamental rights and demands.
The Alliance of Political Forces of Rojhilat defined its main objectives as “struggling to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran, securing the Kurdish people’s right to self-determination, and establishing a national and democratic structure based on the Kurdish people’s political will.” From the day it was announced, the alliance became a target of nationalist regimes such as Iran and the Turkish state.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Ali Larijani, openly threatened the alliance, saying: “They should not attempt any action. We will not tolerate such initiatives under any circumstances.” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also commented on the alliance, stating: “We see Kurdish groups with different lines coming together to form an alliance and making joint statements. Of course, we are closely monitoring this. How much they will fight the regime, how much they will fight other ethnic groups where they are located, what will happen, what they aim for, what may come out of it; we are following and analyzing all of this.”
Before discussing the political histories of the parties that united under one roof — the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the Organization of Struggle of Iranian Kurdistan (Sazman-i Xebat), the Revolutionary Toilers’ Organization of Iranian Kurdistan (Komala), and the Kurdistan Toilers’ Organization (Komala) — it is important to note that these parties have defended the rights of more than 12 million Kurds who have faced intense repression both during the Shah’s rule and under the Islamic Republic.
After the war erupted on February 28, the Iranian regime launched attacks on the camps of Rojhilat-based organizations located in Southern Kurdistan (the Kurdistan Region of Iraq). For more than a week, it has been targeting the camps and bases of PAK, Sazman-i Xebat, KDPI, and Komeleya Zehmetkêşan in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. While the regime continues its attacks on Kurds even as it stands on the verge of collapse, the Alliance of Political Forces stated that these attacks demonstrate Iran’s fear of the Kurdish struggle for rights and its own weakness.
The parties in the alliance emphasized that the attacks “will only strengthen our determination in the struggle for the fall of the Islamic Republic and the freedom of Kurdistan.” These parties have been engaged in political activity for Kurdish rights and democracy since 1945.
Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK)
The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), the largest structure within the alliance, is based on the ideas and philosophy of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. Founded in 2004, PJAK operates in the fields of local organization, politics, defense, and women’s organization in its struggle against the repression of the Iranian regime. Maintaining positions from the Zagros Mountains to the Asos Mountains and the Penjwen–Hawraman region, PJAK advocates democratic self-administration, democratic confederalism, and a women’s liberation paradigm. It is the only Rojhilat-based party governed by a co-chair system and places women’s freedom and democratic autonomous governance at the center of its model. Its co-chairs are Viyan Peyman and Emir Kerimi.
One of the key organizations in the women’s struggle in Rojhilat is KJAR (Free Women’s Community of Eastern Kurdistan), which organizes women’s struggle for freedom and equality. KJAR aims to raise the voices of Kurdish and Iranian women against the regime’s repression, denial, and policies that ignore their identities, while organizing women’s resistance in social, political, and societal spheres. In this context it also established the Women’s Defense Forces (HPJ) as part of women’s self-defense organization.
The East Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK), founded in 2004, operate as an armed defense force in Rojhilat. The YRK states that its goal is to defend the Kurdish people against the heavy repression and attacks of the Iranian regime. Another important structure is KODAR (Democratic and Free Society of East Kurdistan), founded in 2014 to organize democratic society and operate in the social and political spheres with the aim of strengthening Kurdish national unity.
With the war that began on February 28, the bombing of Iranian regime military structures in Rojhilat by Israel and the United States, the stationing of regime forces in civilian institutions such as schools, mosques, and social facilities, and the targeting of Kurdish party camps especially in Southern Kurdistan have increased threats against the Kurdish people. In response, PJAK called on the population to immediately establish local committees, organize logistical networks through defense, health, and service committees, and for young people to join the guerrilla ranks and receive military training.
Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI)
The KDPI is the oldest party in the alliance. Founded in Mahabad in 1945, it is currently led by Secretary General Mustafa Hijri. The party is remembered for the proclamation of the Republic of Mahabad by its leader Qazi Muhammad in 1946, which aimed to end national oppression against the Kurdish people. However, after the Soviet Red Army withdrew from Iran and the Shah’s forces advanced, the Kurds faced a major offensive. Qazi Muhammad, Seyfi Qazi, and many other leaders were executed in 1947 in Charchira Square, causing a major crisis for the party.
After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the KDPI entered a period of reorganization. The internationally recognized political leader and diplomat Dr. Abdurrahman Qasimlo became the head of the party and pursued a new path under the slogan “Democracy for Iran, autonomy for Kurdistan.” However, in 1989 the regime assassinated Dr. Qasimlo at the negotiating table in Vienna. This assassination revealed the regime’s hostility and provoked great anger among the Kurdish population.
After Qasimlo’s death, Sadiq Sharafkandi took leadership of the party. Like Qasimlo, he was also assassinated in a treacherous attack. Sharafkandi was killed in September 1992 at the Mykonos restaurant in Berlin while attending a Socialist International meeting. Investigations and trials in Germany revealed that the assassination had been carried out on the orders of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. After years of internal disagreements, the party reunited in 2022 under the leadership of Mustafa Hijri.
Organization of Struggle of Iranian Kurdistan (Sazman-i Xebat)
Founded on June 26, 1980, Sazman-i Xebat operates around a national and religious political perspective. The organization also emphasizes the preservation of religious values within Kurdish society and is the only Islamic-oriented structure within the alliance. Sheikh Celal Huseyni played the most important role in its founding. Today the position of secretary general is held by his son Babe Sheikh Huseyni.
Revolutionary Workers’ Organization of Iranian Kurdistan (Komala)
The Komala structure within the Alliance of Political Forces has several different factions. Originally formed in the late 1970s but later experiencing internal splits, the Komala parties will now work under the same roof and for the same purpose following the alliance decision.
Komala emerged in the late 1970s among Kurdish student circles and leftist activist networks. It viewed the solution to the Kurdish national question through class struggle and addressing the problems of the working class. After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, Komala built strong ties with the poorer sectors of society and decided to continue its work under the name “Revolutionary Organization of the Workers of Kurdistan.” It worked both to organize civil structures and to build Peshmerga forces, with its organizational structure in Sanandaj serving as an example. When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini launched a wave of attacks against Kurdistan, Komala resisted for months in many towns and villages.
Between 1991 and 2000 Komala also worked with the Communist Party of Iran and its Kurdistan Organization. However, internal splits within the Communist Party pushed Komala to define a new political vision in the late 2000s. As a result, in 2006 a group of leading figures including Abdulla Mohtadi, Omar Ilkhanizade, and Reza Kaabi founded the Revolutionary Toilers’ Community of Kurdistan.
Party Secretary General Abdullah Mohtadi announced the decision to join the alliance by saying: “This is very good news for the people of Kurdistan, who need unity more than ever.”
Kurdistan Workers’ Organization (Komala)
The Kurdistan Workers’ Organization split from the Revolutionary Toilers’ Community of Iranian Kurdistan in 2007 under the leadership of Omar Ilkhanizade. After years of activity, the two organizations held a joint meeting in Stockholm on November 27, 2022, and decided to reunite under the name “Revolutionary Workers’ Community of Iranian Kurdistan.” The next step was to determine the leadership structure, but in 2023 it was announced that the reunification attempt had failed. Since then, the organization has continued its work under the name “Workers’ Community.” Reza Kaabi serves as the party’s secretary general and Fariba Mohammadi as its spokesperson.
Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK)
The Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) split from the Revolutionary Toilers’ Community of Iranian Kurdistan (Komala) and was founded in 2006 under the leadership of Hussein Yazdanpanah. Acting with the mission of “the independence of Kurdistan,” PAK decided on August 19, 2017, that it would wage war against Iran.
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