Threats by the Kurdistan Workers' Party to halt the peace process with Türkiye and escalation of military tension with Iran

The leaders of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in northern Iraq threatened to stop the ongoing "peace and democratic society process" with Turkey, which is primarily based on dissolving the party and disarming it, unless its government takes "democratic steps."

Jamil Bayik, a member of the Executive Council of the Union of Kurdistan Communities, the umbrella group for Kurdish organizations including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, said that the “process,” which the Turkish government calls “Operation Turkey Free of Terrorism,” will stop unless democratic steps are taken.

Bayik touched on the disarmament of the PKK as a condition for the transition to the democratic sphere and the integration of party members into Turkish society. He criticized the “National Solidarity and Social Integration Law,” which was approved by the Turkish Parliament on August 10, known as the “Framework Law,” saying that it is a beginning. But it is “incomplete”.

Pike explained that the justification for issuing the law was not clarified, and that simply saying that terrorism will end led to its weakening. If it had been stipulated that laying down weapons was linked to taking democratic steps, the purpose of the law would have been understood.

He added - in statements to the “Firat” news agency, which is close to the “PKK”, and reported by Turkish media on Saturday - that the language used in the law is very wrong, and that they have made clear, on every occasion, that this process is not limited to disarmament; Rather, it is important to stipulate the democratic steps that it requires. Because laying down arms will be in order to enter a democratic political field.

He pointed out that another important issue is the status of the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, Abdullah Ocalan, and senior party cadres. Because excluding the leaders and a large number of cadres participating in the process from the “Framework Law” is a serious problem, and this issue must also be resolved for those who will return to Türkiye.

The law, which was ratified by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on August 18, includes a postponement of sanctions, a cessation of prosecutions, and a conditional return of members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party who will give up their weapons. However, it excludes - according to information provided - 230 leaders who will not be allowed to return, and who may reside in a safe area in Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq.

In an explicit threat to stop the process, Bayik said: “If the process falters due to the absence of democratic steps, the responsibility falls on the Turkish government.” Democracy can provide a solution to the Kurdish issue, and with this law the government implicitly accepts these matters. “If this process does not advance through democratic steps, it will be hampered, and the government will be responsible for that.”

On Friday, US President Donald Trump threatened to strike the heavily fortified “Jabal Ax” site near the Natanz nuclear facility, saying that the United States may target it “very soon” if it detects developments that raise its concerns.

Trump told reporters at the White House that US intelligence services are closely monitoring activity at the site. “We may strike Jabal Ax very soon,” he added, adding: “If anything bad happens, we will strike them.” "We hit them hard."