Kurdish Policy Analysis

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Who Is Ahmad Vahidi? The Secretive IRGC Commander now shaping Iran's confrontation with the United States From the founding of the Quds Force to commanding the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmad Vahidi's rise signals a new era in Iran's military-led decision-making. As Tehran braces for a prolonged confrontation with Washington, one of Iran's most secretive and hardline military figures has emerged at the center of power—signaling a dramatic shift in how the Islamic Republic intends to wage its geopolitical struggle. Who is Ahmad Vahidi? Explore the rise of Iran's IRGC commander and how his growing influence could reshape Tehran's strategy toward the United States and the Middle East. For decades, Ahmad Vahidi remained largely behind the scenes, shaping Iran's military doctrine and regional strategy away from the public spotlight. Today, however, he stands at the heart of Iran's national security apparatus, overs...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis An analysis argues that Iraqi Kurdistan has endured extensive Iranian missile and drone attacks and could become the first beneficiary if Washington follows through on President Donald Trump's pledge to use frozen Iranian assets to compensate victims. A new analysis argues Iraqi Kurdistan should be the first recipient of compensation from frozen Iranian assets if the Trump administration follows through on its pledge. Trump's Iran compensation pledge should begin in Iraqi Kurdistan, analysis argues A new policy analysis argues that Iraqi Kurdistan should become the first region to receive compensation from frozen Iranian assets if the United States follows through on President Donald Trump's pledge to make Tehran financially responsible for damage caused by its attacks. The argument, published by Sirwan Kajjo on August 3, contends that the Kurdistan Region has suffered some of the most extensive consequences of Iranian ...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Baghdad says Iraqi crude is sold at market prices despite Hormuz disruptions, while Kurdistan's exports remain severely constrained by security concerns. Iraq exported 42.5 million barrels of crude oil in July as SOMO denied selling oil at discounted prices, while Kurdistan's exports remained sharply reduced amid security concerns. Iraq's oil exports remain resilient despite regional turmoil Iraq exported 42.5 million barrels of crude oil in July , demonstrating the country's continued ability to maintain exports despite months of regional instability and heightened security risks in the Persian Gulf. According to Iraq's State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), the overwhelming majority of exports continued to flow through the country's southern terminals and the Strait of Hormuz, while exports from the Kurdistan Region remained sharply below normal levels because of security concerns. The figures highlight ...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis A fire triggered by extreme summer temperatures ignited an ammunition warehouse at Camp Taji, highlighting how climate-related risks are increasingly intersecting with Iraq's military and national security infrastructure. Extreme heat sparked a fire and ammunition explosions at Iraq's Camp Taji military base, highlighting the growing security risks posed by climate and aging military infrastructure. Heat Triggers Fire at Camp Taji: When Climate Becomes a National Security Threat A fire caused by soaring summer temperatures ignited an ammunition warehouse at Iraq's Camp Taji military base north of Baghdad, triggering explosions as stored munitions detonated. According to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence, the warehouse contained ammunition belonging to the 9th Armoured Division , while firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Although no casualties were immediately reported, the incident illustrates an increasingly important ...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Years of failing public services, compounded by regional conflict and economic instability, are leaving women across the Kurdistan Region to shoulder the growing burden of daily survival. Women in the Kurdistan Region are bearing the heaviest burden of water shortages, electricity cuts, rising fuel costs, and deteriorating public services. Women across the Kurdistan Region are increasingly bearing the consequences of chronic failures in public services as electricity shortages, water scarcity, rising fuel prices, and deteriorating infrastructure continue to disrupt daily life. Long-standing structural problems have been compounded by recent regional conflicts, particularly the war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, which has intensified pressure on households and public utilities. Residents interviewed in Sulaimani describe a worsening humanitarian situation marked by unreliable electricity, limited access to clean water,...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis   Why the PKK Went Into Retreat: How Turkey, the US, and Syria Reshaped the Kurdish Armed Struggle A new assessment examines how shifting geopolitics, Turkey's military adaptation, changing US priorities, and the Syrian conflict transformed the PKK from a growing regional actor into a movement seeking peace negotiations. Why did the PKK retreat after decades of insurgency? An analysis of Turkey's military strategy, US policy shifts, Syria, and the movement's return to peace talks. Summary For much of the early 2000s, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) appeared to be in decline. Following the capture of Abdullah Öcalan in 1999, the organization abandoned its immediate goal of an independent Kurdish state, declared ceasefires, and attempted to reinvent itself around democratic autonomy while relocating much of its leadership to the mountains of northern Iraq. The outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011 dramatically alt...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj |  Kurdish Policy Analysis From strategic patience and proxy networks to regional deterrence and great-power partnerships, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's doctrine has become the foundation of Iran's foreign policy and continues to shape the Middle East. Explore how Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's foreign policy doctrine transformed Iran into a regional power through deterrence, alliances, and strategic influence. For more than three decades, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shaped Iran's strategic outlook through a doctrine centered on deterrence, strategic patience, regional partnerships, and resistance to Western pressure. Rather than relying on conventional military superiority, Tehran invested in asymmetric capabilities, proxy relationships, missile programs, and diplomatic ties with powers such as Russia and China. This approach allowed Iran to project influence far beyond its borders while attempting to avoid direct confrontation with stronger adversaries. This r...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj |  Kurdish Policy Analysis This report evaluates the critical geopolitical exposure of Iraq as it becomes the central battleground in a multi-front regional escalation involving the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Iran . It assesses Baghdad's security vulnerabilities, sovereign constraints, and structural economic dependencies. Context Iraqi sovereign territory has recently sustained kinetic strikes from both the US-Saudi coalition and Tehran , transforming Baghdad into a frontline arena. The Saudi Arabian and US strikes responded to long-range drone attacks allegedly launched from Iraqi territory by Iranian-aligned Shia militias against eastern Saudi energy infrastructure, as well as over thirty attacks targeting US personnel across Iraq and Jordan, striking IRGC command centres in Diyala. Concurrently, Iran continues to execute military operations within Iraqi borders, targeting US installations and Iranian-Kurdish dissident camps in Iraqi Kurdistan, ...