A Digest of Events in the Kurdistan Regions of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
Iran
Human rights organizations and international advocates have raised urgent concerns over the impending execution of Pakhshan Azizi and Verisheh Moradi, two Kurdish women sentenced to death in Iran. The women, who have been recognized for their efforts in humanitarian and security causes, are accused of fighting for justice and human rights—charges that activists argue are part of a broader pattern of state repression against ethnic minorities and dissidents.
This coincided with the Iranian authorities escalating their crackdown on Kurdish activists, arresting multiple civil society members, women’s rights advocates, cultural figures, and political dissidents in recent days. Reports by Hengaw Organization for Human RRights indicate that security forces, including the Intelligence Department and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have conducted a series of coordinated detentions in cities across Iranian Kurdistan, transferring detainees to undisclosed locations.
On March 10, 2025, security forces detained at least four Kurdish women’s rights activists in connection with their participation in International Women’s Day events in Sanandaj and Dehgolan. Among them was Sohaila Motaei, a known figure in the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom) movement. Motaei, who had previously been imprisoned for her activism, was arrested in Dehgolan by the Intelligence Department.
Others arrested on the same day include Baran Saeidi, who was forcibly taken from her home, Soma Mohammadrezaei, detained at her workplace in Almas Shopping Center, and Leila Pashaei, who was apprehended at her family home. All four were transferred to an undisclosed location, and their condition remains unknown.
On March 12, security forces in Saqqez arrested Abdollah Ahmadzadeh, a member of the “Halabja” Cultural Association. Ahmadzadeh has been instrumental in organizing commemorative events for the victims of the Halabja chemical attack. His arrest follows a pattern of Iranian authorities suppressing Kurdish cultural expression.
In Mashhad, authorities arrested Javad Alikordi, a Kurdish lawyer, on March 1. Alikordi, who had defended several political prisoners, was detained after refusing to comply with an informal demand from intelligence officers to report for his prison sentence. He had previously been sentenced to 16 months in prison, a two-year ban on practicing law, and a travel ban on charges of “forming and leading a group with the intent to overthrow the regime.”
In Kermanshah, Mojtaba Vaisi, a Kurdish activist and Yarsan faith follower, was violently arrested by IRGC forces on March 5 while preparing for Newroz (Kurdish New Year) celebrations. His young daughter was reportedly left behind at the scene, highlighting the brutality of the arrest.
Meanwhile, Motalleb Ahmadian, a Kurdish political prisoner from Baneh, has entered his 15th year of a 30-year prison sentence. In a letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, Ahmadian described his deteriorating health due to denial of medical care. Arrested in 2010, he was sentenced for alleged affiliation with the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan and has been subjected to torture and prolonged solitary confinement.
On March 4, Iranian intelligence forces arrested Behrouz Farhang, a Kurdish tailor from Bukan, at his shop. He was transferred to an IRGC detention center in Urmia, with no information on the charges against him. Similarly, Mahmoud Naderi, a resident of Sanandaj’s Kalatrazan district, was arrested after repeated summonses over the symbolic use of “Jamaneh” and “Khaki Clothing” at his son’s wedding—garments linked to Kurdish cultural identity and resistance. Additionally, Arazu Jalilzadeh, a Kurdish teacher from Sardasht, was arrested on March 3. Reports indicate that she was taken from her father’s home in a violent operation.
Moreover, on March 8, security forces arrested Fakhraddin Taheri, a young Kurdish man from Piranshahr, during a violent raid on his family home. The Intelligence Department forces stormed the residence without a judicial warrant, breaking doors and windows before taking him to an undisclosed location.
Beyond arrests, Iranian forces continue attacks on the Kurdish border porters (kolbar). On March 7, Ahmad Karimzadeh, a Kurdish kolbar from Baneh, was shot and severely injured by border guards. The targeting of Kolbars—who transport goods across Iran’s western borders for economic survival—has been a long-standing issue, with authorities using lethal force against them regularly.
Iraq
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani on Sunday, reaffirming Washington’s commitment to strengthening energy and economic cooperation with Iraq while urging closer collaboration between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
During the call, Waltz expressed support for Iraq’s efforts to achieve energy independence, encouraging the government to welcome more U.S. energy companies into its oil and gas sectors. He also urged the Iraqi government to resolve ongoing contract disputes with the Kurdistan Regional Government and pay outstanding arrears owed to U.S. energy companies. Additionally, he recommended that Iraq appoint an investment coordinator to facilitate operations for American firms.
The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) welcomed Waltz’s statement, particularly his call for a resolution to oil contract disputes between Baghdad and Erbil. The halt of oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline since March 2023 has resulted in over $24 billion in economic losses for both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
The call underscores ongoing efforts to resolve Iraq’s energy disputes, with growing pressure from Washington for Iraq to restore stability in the oil sector and attract more Western investment.
In a related development, APIKUR described its recent meeting in Baghdad as a step forward in resuming oil exports from the Kurdistan Region, stressing the need for clear agreements and written guarantees.
A major topic of discussion was the appointment of an independent consultant to evaluate the costs associated with oil production and transportation. APIKUR urged Baghdad to clearly outline the consultant’s role, duties, and timeframe. The association also stressed the importance of transparent financial agreements, particularly regarding outstanding payments, including the $1 billion in unpaid invoices that remain unresolved.
Syria
In a significant political development, Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and Ahmed al-Sharaa, the newly recognized leader of Syria, have reached an agreement aimed at easing tensions and stabilizing the country following massacres committed against the Alawite community in the wake of battles launched by loyalists of the former dictator.
The agreement was welcomed by the international community, including the United States, which stated that it “reaffirms its support for a political transition that ensures credible, non-sectarian governance as the best path to preventing further conflict.”
Articles of the Agreement:
The newly established framework includes the following provisions:
- Political Participation for All Syrians – Ensuring that all citizens have the right to engage in the political process and state institutions based on merit, regardless of ethnic or religious background.
- Recognition of Kurdish Identity – Formally recognizing the Kurdish community as an essential part of Syria, guaranteeing full citizenship and constitutional rights.
- Nationwide Ceasefire – Enforcing a comprehensive ceasefire across all Syrian territories to halt violence and promote national stability.
- Institutional Integration – Unifying civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria under the Syrian state’s administration, including border crossings, airports, and energy infrastructure such as oil and gas fields.
- Return of Displaced Syrians – Ensuring the safe return of displaced individuals to their homes and communities, with protection guaranteed by the Syrian government.
- Support for Syria’s Stability – Strengthening the country’s capacity to combat remnants of the Assad regime and address other threats to Syria’s security and unity.
- Rejection of Division and Hatred – Condemning all attempts to promote sectarianism, hate speech, or division among Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious communities.
- Implementation Timeline – Forming executive committees to oversee the full implementation of the agreement, with the process expected to be completed by the end of the year.
However, despite the agreement signed on March 10, Turkey’s Syrian proxies continue their attacks near the Tishreen Dam, targeting SDF positions amid ongoing battles and drone strikes carried out by Turkey and its allied factions.
A Turkish drone strike on Monday afternoon targeted civilian homes in the village of Jarraf, south of Kobani, killing a 13-year-old child and injuring two others. Near Tishreen Dam, Turkish warplanes bombed the village of Khirbet al-Zamala, while heavy artillery shelling targeted villages surrounding the dam. In a separate incident, Turkish-backed forces attempted to launch an attack using suicide drones, but four of them were successfully shot down by defending forces.
In another development, the Committee for Drafting the Syrian Constitutional Declaration released a transitional constitution, which was subsequently signed by Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. The new constitution contains several controversial articles, including the reaffirmation of “Syrian Arab Republic” as the official name of the state—a move that disregards non-Arab communities, such as Kurds and Christians. Kurdish political figures had pushed to remove “Arab” from the name, advocating instead for “Syria” as a more inclusive designation.
Other contentious provisions include a requirement that the president—the highest authority in the state—must be Muslim, while also declaring that “Islamic jurisprudence is the primary source of legislation.”
Additionally, the committee announced that no elections will be held for the next five years, after which a new constitution is expected to be drafted.
Turkey
The Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) has launched a series of meetings with political parties across Turkey to promote a new peace initiative aimed at resolving the Kurdish issue and ending decades of conflict. Led by Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, the delegation has engaged with key opposition parties, including The Labour Party (EMEP), Republican People’s Party (CHP), and Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), to gather support for a democratic solution.
A key topic of discussion was the recent call from Abdullah Öcalan, emphasizing the need for negotiation and dialogue to replace violence and armed conflict. DEM Party leaders stressed that this initiative is not solely a Kurdish matter but a call for all 85 million citizens of Turkey to live in democracy and equality.
During the meetings, opposition leaders acknowledged the importance of lifting the isolation of Öcalan, ensuring political participation for all communities, and establishing a legal framework for a peace process. CHP Chairman Özgür Özel reiterated his party’s commitment to a parliamentary-led democratic solution, while DEVA Party leader Ali Babacan highlighted the need for a clear roadmap and political will from the government to make peace efforts successful.
Additionally, the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, known for his hardline nationalist stance, made a move by reaching out to several prominent Kurdish politicians following Abdullah Öcalan’s call for the PKK to disarm and dissolve itself, including the jailed Kurdish politician Sellahatin Demirtas.
Jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan has issued a historic call for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself, urging the group to shift toward democratic consensus as a solution to the Kurdish issue. In his February 27 statement, titled “Call for Peace and Democratic Society,” Öcalan emphasized that separatist or autonomous models fail to address the complexities of Kurdish identity within Turkey, advocating instead for political engagement and democratic struggle.
In response, the PKK leadership released a statement on March 1, expressing agreement with Öcalan’s call and announcing a unilateral ceasefire. The group declared that its forces would halt all armed operations unless attacked, framing the decision as a step toward peace. However, the PKK emphasized that a secure political and legal environment must be established for permanent disarmament and called for Öcalan’s direct involvement in overseeing the transition. The group also expressed readiness to convene a party congress to formalize its dissolution, contingent on Öcalan’s physical freedom and ability to engage in negotiations without restrictions.
While the next steps in the peace process remain uncertain, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signaled a meeting with the “İmralı Delegation” to discuss the future direction of the negotiations.