ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - More than ten months since the Israel-Hamas war began, its effects are felt in Iran’s western Kurdish region (Rojhelat). The war has sparked heated debates among the Kurdish population and shifted public attention from ordinary concerns that locals face.
Regional tensions between Iran and Israel have surged since July 31 when Iranian authorities blamed the latter for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran has vowed retribution, and Western powers have encouraged a de-escalation in the Middle East.
For the Kurdish people of Rojhelat, who have long dealt with pressing issues such as inflation and unemployment, the war in the Gaza Strip has divided perspectives. On one side, some prefer the Iranian government to be embroiled in more war because the prospect of a weaker regime offers a glimmer of hope for the Kurdish cause to gain more ground.
“I would prefer the war to escalate to the point where the Iranian state is entangled in it,” Osman*, a 50-year-old schoolteacher in Rojhelat, told Rudaw English earlier this month. “These people are dirty, and reform and improvement from them is impossible. Without war, they will not go away. I know having a war means having a crisis … I have been thinking about this a lot, but I have reached a belief that it is better to pay for that.”
For Osman, the war disrupting Tehran’s control in Rojhelat is worthwhile even if it means enduring inevitable crises like a lack of electricity, fuel, food, and basic goods. He claims the only Kurds worried about the war in Gaza are those with ties to the Iranian government, but ordinary people “are deeply happy that the war will disrupt the situation.”
Sirwan*, a civil and social activist, also prefers the war to escalate for a window of opportunity to be created for the Kurds.
“The people of Rojhelat, although Muslim, largely prefer the war to intensify and for Iran and its proxies to get involved,” said the 30-year-old Kurd. “My family is religious and adheres to Islam, but they would prefer the war to continue so that Iran and the government weaken, creating an opportunity for the Kurds.”
Since the reignition of a hot war involving Palestine on October 7, the Iranian government has doubled down on its support for Hamas. Israeli’s retaliation has enraged many people in the Middle East and beyond, sparking concerns of a wider regional conflict.
Hamas killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds of others during their assault, and Israel’s retaliation has killed nearly 40,000 people in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, according to the latest toll from Palestinian authorities.
Many people in Rojhelat, however, do not particularly care about the war and are not invested in it, citing fears of the consequences and repercussions if the situation deteriorates, especially if those burden Rojhelatis.
On Tuesday in response to calls from Western powers to stand down, not to retaliate, and support a ceasefire deal, Iran stressed that it does not seek anyone’s permission to defend its national security.
Hiwa*, a mechanic, emphasized the severity of the situation and worried that an Iran in a state of war might mobilize the Kurds to fight in its feud.
“Any war or disturbance will have a little chance of success for us Kurds. It does not matter to me,” he said. “We already have been living miserably for 40 years, what has been left for me and my children?”
*Names have been changed to protect identities.