805
Iran
- More than a dozen trade unions released a statement expressing support for ongoing strikes in various Iranian industries to protest low wages, inflation, and poor living conditions. Iranian authorities warned unions, especially those in Iranian Kurdistan, to refrain from holding any protests on International Workers’ Day, which occurs every May 1. The regime also pressured the Islamic Consultative Assembly to dismiss Iranian Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade Reza Fatemi Amin. Furthermore, Iran’s exiled Kurdish opposition parties released a statement supporting labor rights and detailing issues workers face in Iran. The parties blamed the current regime and the Shah for Iranian Kurdistan’s lack of “infrastructure and industrial projects,” which contributes to its sky-high unemployment rates and status as Iran’s poorest region. Meanwhile, poison gas attacks targeted five girls’ schools in Senna, Kermanshah, and Tehran. Separately, a criminal court in Bokan sentenced two Kurdish men to two years in prison for “cooperation” with a Kurdish party. Lastly, a Kurdish political prisoner named Melad Zahrawand is facing execution in Malayer after he was arrested for participating in anti-government protests last November.
- Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan leader Abdullah Mohtadi left the Iranian opposition coalition known as the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy. Three other members, Shirin Ebadi, Nazanin Boniadi, and Masih Alinejad, also announced their departure. Mohtadi, Ebadi, Boniadi, and Alinejad then released a joint statement that read, “Although the situation has made it difficult to continue our solidarity, we will continue our unity as a means of future efforts. Mahsa’s charter came from the heart of the revolution of women, life, and freedom, and it will not lose its meaning until its victory.” The four did not elaborate on the reasons for their departure, but it appears their defection was spurred by dissatisfaction with Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s supremacy in the coalition and his support from exiled ultranationalist Iranians.
Iraq
- Iraq has now lost more than one billion dollars from the ongoing pause imposed on Iraqi Kurdistan’s oil exports that went into effect after an international ruling favored Baghdad over the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on March 23. Iraqi officials have repeatedly announced plans to restart the exports, but it appears Turkey has established its own conditions on the matter. Moreover, several oil companies operating in Iraqi Kurdistan discussed taking legal action against the pause. At the same time, U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said, “I am deeply concerned Baghdad still isn’t allowing resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region. A pause in these exports is a win for the Iranian regime. The Biden administration must apply pressure to address this threat to stability and energy security in the region.” Iranian-backed political blocs have opposed the recent Erbil-Baghdad agreement on oil exports and the KRG’s share of the federal budget. An Asaib Ahl al Haq lawmaker named Udai Awad filed a lawsuit with Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court that claimed the KRG opened a bank account with the American Citibank for future oil revenues.
- The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) attempted to resolve disputes surrounding Iraqi Kurdistan’s election laws again last week. Granted, KDP leader and former President of Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani asserted, “Elections should be held on time.” The PUK and the Change Party agreed with Barzani’s view, and KRG parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 18 of this year.
Syria
- Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency claimed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Syrian President Bashar al Assad in Syria on May 3, ostensibly to discuss further normalization between the Assad regime and regional players like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). China’s Special Envoy on Middle Eastern Affairs Zhai Jun visited Damascus on April 29 to encourage rapprochement between Syria and other Arab countries. Concurrently, Jordan hosted a meeting between several Arab foreign ministers and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Makkad on May 1 that explored forging a political settlement to end the Syrian Civil War. On the other hand, France echoed the U.S. position on rapprochement with Assad and rejected regional efforts to normalize relations with the Syrian government. France’s disapproval of regional efforts to reintegrate the Assad regime reinforced the U.S.’s declaration that Western-Syrian normalization would not be forthcoming.
- The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria’s (AANES) Internal Security Forces (Asayish) arrested three ISIS (Da’esh) cells outside of Kobani, a Da’esh smuggler near Hasakah, and a Da’esh cell leader in Deir Ez Zor. The SDF killed another Da’esh terrorist – Abu Ali al-Sarawi – when he resisted arrest. Da’esh has orchestrated a resurgence during the past few weeks and conducted an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on an SDF vehicle on April 27, a second IED attack on an SDF military vehicle south of Al-Raqqa that killed two SDF personnel and wounded three on April 28, and an assault on Deir Ez Zor Military Council leader Tayesir al Sarhid on April 29.
- On April 30, Turkish border guards killed one Syrian and injured five others that tried to illegally cross the Turkish border west of Idlib. One day later, Turkish border guards assaulted 12 Syrians who crossed the border into occupied Afrin. On April 26, Human Rights Watch released a non-exhaustive list of Turkish violence against refugees on the Syrian border that showed Turkish authorities attacked refugees crossing the Turkish-Syrian border 277 times from October 2015 to April 2023. Concomitantly, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that Turkish authorities have killed at least 11 refugees and injured at least 20 more for attempting to cross the Turkish border since January 1, 2023.
Turkey
- The Turkish government ramped up its crackdown on Turkey’s Kurds and political opposition during the run-up to the May 14 elections. On April 29, Ankara’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for 49 people in 21 provinces, including a dozen Kurdish journalists. One of the journalists, Sedat Yılmaz, was tortured in police custody. Turkish authorities also took preventive actions against International Workers’ Day celebrations and detained marchers in Istanbul.
- The Labor and Freedom Alliance, a coalition of left-wing political parties in Turkey anchored by the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), finally announced their support for Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Simultaneously, the Green Left Party (YSP) established a Mobile Voter Commission that will offer voters in Istanbul free rides to and from polling stations. That said, Turkish Minister of the Interior Süleyman Soylu described the upcoming elections as a “Western political coup attempt” amid widespread criticism of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) anti-democratic measures aimed at staving off its electoral defeat on May 14. Additionally, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to keep Kurdish politician Selahhatin Demirtas in prison if he wins reelection.