American Support For Teheran?

The Iranian sister organization of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has accused the United States of indirectly supporting the Teheran regime’s war against the rebels. Head of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), Haji Ahmedi, declared that the U.S. provided aerial reconnaissance intelligence to Turkey which was then passed through Ankara to Teheran. On May first, Turkish warplanes bombarded PKK positions in the Kandil Mountains. According to Turkish military sources, 150 PKK rebels were killed in that action. Turkish media speculated that the attacks also killed PKK military chief Murat Karayilan. The PJAK, however, denied these reports claiming only that PJAK headquarters was hit, killing six rebels.

According to Ahmedi, Ankara acted as Teheran’s agent with the complicity of the Americans. In addition, he blamed Turkey for using chemical weapons in the bombardment. Ahmedi claimed that markings on unexploded ordnance backed up his claim. Washington has not yet replied to these charges. Should they be confirmed, it would be an embarrassment for the U.S. particularly since the PJAK, despite their ideological affiliation with the PKK, is exclusively opposed to the Teheran regime. PJAK spokesmen claimed that several agencies have recently reported that Iranian-Kurd rebels planned suicide attacks in Iran as well as against Americans in Iraq. Ahmedi rejected these reports as pure concoctions. Suicide attacks, he claimed, went against the principles and politics of the PJAK.

Concurrent with the Turkish air attacks in Kandil, the first official meeting between Kurdish Prime Minister Barzani and representatives of the Turkish government was taking place. Ahmet Davutoglu, the chief foreign affairs advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, and Murat Özcelik, Turkish Special Envoy for Iraq, also attended the meeting which took place at the office of President Talabani, a Kurd. Both sides agreed on practical steps toward a normalization and expansion of relations, according to regional government circles. Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan described the talks as “extremely positive” and announced a continuing dialog with Baghdad and Erbil. The improvement of relations between Ankara and Erbil, however, was dependent upon Iraqi Kurd opposition to the PKK, according to Babacan.