US officials have contacted about the possibility of supporting operations against Iran, according to a report by The Associated Press on Thursday, as tensions in the region continue to escalate.
Read More: Fresh explosions in Tehran as Iran warns separatist groups
Khalil Nadiri, an official from the Kurdistan Freedom Party based in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region, said some Kurdish fighters had already moved toward areas near the Iranian border in Sulaymaniyah province and were on standby. He added that leaders of Kurdish opposition groups had been approached by US officials regarding a potential operation, though no specific details were disclosed.
The developments come amid a rapidly widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The situation has raised concerns that additional regional actors could be drawn into the confrontation.
Following the reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation. Araqchi held a phone conversation with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, during which both sides agreed not to allow outside forces to exploit the situation.
Barzani emphasized that the Kurdistan region would not become part of the conflict, stressing that Kurdish territory should not be used as a base for attacks.
Araqchi also spoke with leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, highlighting the importance of strengthening security cooperation along the Iran-Iraq border to prevent instability.
In separate talks, the Iranian foreign minister held discussions with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. According to reports, the Iraqi leader reaffirmed that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used for launching attacks against Iran.
Read More: Iraq completes withdrawal of US led coalition forces
The diplomatic activity comes as military tensions remain high across the region. Iran launched a fresh wave of missile strikes at Israel early Thursday, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters as the conflict entered its sixth day. The strikes followed the failure of efforts in Washington to halt ongoing US air operations against Iranian targets.