PJAK Rejects Proxy Label While Defending Right to Combat Iranian Repression

Strategic Restraint Amidst Regional Conflict

The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) has clarified its stance on the military escalations following the February 28 initiation of hostilities against Iran by the United States and Israel. Rivar Abdanan, a member of the PJAK Leadership Council, stated that the group operates outside the influence of foreign powers. While the movement seeks autonomy for Eastern Kurdistan, Abdanan emphasized that they are not a proxy force for any international coalition. Their involvement in the ongoing war is contingent entirely on whether the physical existence of the Kurdish people faces a direct threat.

PJAK, which shares ideological ties with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), views its mission through a political lens rather than a purely militaristic one. The party holds the Iranian government responsible for the current crisis, citing its expansionist regional agenda and domestic brutality. Abdanan noted that while they do not seek a long, exhausting war, they view strikes against the regime's centers of repression as a positive development, provided civilian lives are spared and the right to self-determination is honored.

The Framework of Legitimate Defense

Despite being an armed organization, PJAK defines itself as a vehicle for democratic change. The leadership argues that the Islamic Republic seeks to draw Kurdish forces into a draining conflict to deplete their social and political resources. To counter this, PJAK focuses on preserving the Kurdish community's capacity for a future democratic transition across Iran. Key components of their current strategy include:

• Adhering to the principle of legitimate self-defense against regime aggression.
• Maintaining diplomatic channels with any global actor that respects Kurdish national interests.
• Rejecting military participation in international projects where the political status of Kurds is not guaranteed.
• Fostering self-organization within Iranian Kurdistan to withstand state violence.

Abdanan highlighted the severity of recent state actions, specifically pointing to the massacre of thousands in Ilam and Kermashan during recent uprisings. He refused to provide a simple condemnation of Western military actions, suggesting the conflict is a direct result of the regime's own policy choices. For PJAK, the red line for any diplomatic engagement remains the protection of Kurdish sovereignty and the advancement of a democratic republic for all citizens of Iran.

Source: The Hindu — Interview