Turkish Defense Minister Criticizes Iran's Stance on PKK

Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler voiced his frustrations regarding Tehran's lack of cooperation in combating the PKK.

Despite Ankara's efforts to engage with Iran on their mutual security threat, discrepancies in their approaches continue to pose challenges when combating the group both deem terrorist.

Güler, in an interview with Milliyet, detailed how Turkey has actively shared intelligence with Iran about the locations of PKK operatives, expecting collaborative counterterrorism measures.

"We clearly monitor and say, 'Look, these individuals (terrorists) are at this address, in this house,' but the response we typically receive from Iran is, 'No, we checked that address, and such a person does not exist.' Of course, this is unacceptable," Güler expressed.

His remarks coincide with Nechirvan Barzani, President of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, making a visit to Iran last week. Given the recent IRGC missile attack on the Kurdistan Region, the timing and nature of Barzani's visit suggest they likely centered on shared security concerns.

The PKK, or Kurdistan Workers' Party, has been a longstanding insurgent force in the region, engaging in guerrilla warfare primarily in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq since 1984. Initially fighting for an independent Kurdish state, the PKK’s focus shifted in the 1990s toward autonomy and enhanced rights for Kurds within Turkey.

The organization is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, the EU, and others, though some continue to debate the appropriateness of the classification, suggesting that the PKK’s current activities do not systematically target civilians or constitute organized terror operations.

While both nations engage in joint efforts to address regional security challenges, including drug trafficking and terrorism, political and ideological differences frequently overshadow the collaboration. The tension is particularly palpable in conflict zones like Syria and Iraq where both countries seek to assert influence, often at odds with one another.