How regional politics is restraining Kurdish militancy in Iran
While some Iranian Kurdish armed opposition groups are intent on raising the heat on Iran amid ongoing US pressure, other groups are careful not to enter a conflict that may spiral out of control.
As Qasem Soleimani bashed the United States for its past and present policies toward Iran at a speech in the western Iranian city of Hamadan on July 26, surrounded by posters of commanders who have died under his command, one woman sat quietly, holding in her hands a framed picture of a young man, listening eagerly to the commander of the powerful Quds Force.
“You [the United States] are threatening us? … You are betting on counter-revolutionaries,” Soleimani roared, taking a swipe at Kurdish militants in his 87-minute speech. “You are making a big mistake. … You know our power in asymmetrical warfare.”
