PJAK policies mirror those of PKK: Kurdish Iranian leader
Zamdar Ahmed – BasNews (Koya): 15-11-2013 – In an exclusive interview with BasNews, Abdullah Hassan Zada, head of Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) talked about the links between the Party for Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“Although PJAK is an opposition Kurdish party in Iran, it is undoubtedly part of the PKK, and its policies are similar to those of the PKK,” said Zada. Zada believes that when the conflict between the PKK and Iran intensifies, it will lead to PJAK’s more radical stance against Iran. However, current relations between the PKK and Iran are good. Regarding the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its policies towards Syrian Kurdistan, he said that the KRG’s stance towards the Syrian Kurdish refugees is based on nationalism. “KRG policy on the entire Kurdish issue, including Rojava, is one of support and loyalty.”
The KRG has paid a political price for its policies on the Kurdish issue, he said, however, “the decisions by Iraqi Kurdish leaders are all taken independently and their decisions are based on their own perceptions.” In regards to the perceived openness of Rouhani’s government, Zada said that “Providing equal rights for all nations living in Iran is the fundamental principle of democracy, no country could be called democratic while it does not allow its minorities to enjoy their basic rights.” Because of the influence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on decision making in Iran, the president cannot play a big role in the Kurdish areas of Iran: “Rouhani’s influence on the Kurdish areas is limited. The Iranian regime operates the engine behind the continuous execution of Kurdish political prisoners,” Zada concluded.