PJAK: A Potential Turkish Proxy in a Future Conflict in Iran?

Kurdish political figure İbrahim Halil Baran argues that Turkey may have a strategic interest in preserving PJAK as an armed force that could be mobilized inside Iran in the event of a future Turkish–Iranian confrontation.

According to Baran, Abdullah Öcalan’s recent messages increasingly emphasize PJAK and Iran rather than Rojava. He suggests that, following developments in Syria and the PKK disarmament process, PJAK could become a new bargaining chip between Ankara and Öcalan.

Baran also points to statements by PJAK leaders expressing loyalty to Öcalan and discussing the possibility of implementing a Syrian-style integration process in Iran. In his interpretation, Ankara could extend elements of its Syrian strategy to Iranian Kurdistan, potentially turning PJAK into an instrument of Turkish regional influence.

Turkey’s broader strategy: Baran believes Ankara has already achieved several of its objectives simultaneously through developments in Rojava, the PKK disarmament process and its potential leverage over PJAK. Consequently, he argues that Turkey feels little pressure to make further concessions to the Kurdish movement.

Other analysts have previously discussed similar scenarios.

Hemn Khoshnaw, in a May 2025 analysis published by Kurdish outlet Draw Media, examined why Turkey might prefer PJAK to remain armed. He reported that a Kurdish journalist familiar with the peace negotiations believed Ankara envisaged a role for PJAK in Iran comparable to that of Turkish-backed armed factions in Syria.

Ruşen Çakır, a Turkish journalist and political commentator, argued in March 2026 that PJAK could become involved in a confrontation with Iran and that Öcalan’s influence over Kurdish organizations could become strategically important to Ankara. Unlike Baran and Khoshnaw, Çakır did not explicitly describe PJAK as a prospective Turkish proxy.

Taken together, these analyses raise the possibility that Turkey could seek influence over PJAK rather than insist on its complete disarmament, potentially gaining leverage inside Iran while limiting the influence of competing regional powers.

However, these remain geopolitical interpretations. There is no independently established evidence of an agreement to turn PJAK into a Turkish proxy.

@KurdishFrontReports