Islamic Slogans and Looting Poisoned France’s Protests

Goran Halabjai | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translate by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene.

Events in France and a Few Observations

Over the past few days, many cities across Europe, especially in France, have experienced unrest, and widespread protests have disrupted the peace in those cities. Thousands of students, wage earners, small business owners, and ordinary citizens took to the streets to protest.

As I mentioned, these protests were organized by students, teachers, and wage earners. The reasons included the rising cost of education, cuts to workers’ wages, rising prices, and a declining ability to save money.

In such circumstances, these groups have a legitimate right to make the authorities aware of their difficult living conditions and to pursue some of their demands. They can use peaceful and civil methods to express their dissatisfaction, including holding demonstrations.

It is true that protests in developed countries do not always end as the organizers planned. Often, groups of troublemaking young people infiltrate the protests. By using slogans that have little to do with the protesters’ actual demands, they change the nature of the protest and lead it in the wrong direction.

The motives of these troublemakers fall into two main categories. First, they may be opponents of the groups organizing the protests, whether those groups are political or nonpolitical.

The second possibility is that they are acting on behalf of the authorities to discredit the groups or individuals who organized the demonstrations and thereby undermine the purpose and goals of the protests.

What happened in France and Italy was different. The difference was that these “troublemakers” came from an environment in which civic and democratic action was not valued. I would say that the vast majority of these young people involved in looting were not trying to express dissatisfaction, nor did they sympathize with the protesters. Instead, they saw the situation as an opportunity to loot and chant Islamic slogans.

You may have noticed that, in many places, some young Muslim men shouted “Allahu Akbar” or held copies of the Quran while chanting Islamic slogans. They went so far as to call for Islamic law, or Sharia, to be implemented in that country.

I am not saying that all the looters were Muslim. Undoubtedly, ethnic French people were also among them, but they made up a very small proportion. By looking closely at their facial features, one could identify which ethnic groups they belonged to.

Emmanuel Macron had been waiting for an opportunity to reveal his hostility toward the left. He quickly accused young French leftists of trying to overthrow the French government through looting and violence.

Going forward, it is important for any group organizing a protest to be aware of these troublemakers. Otherwise, instead of achieving its goals, the group may end up being blamed for the unrest.

Those young Muslims must also understand that they will gain nothing through unrest, looting, and chanting Islamic slogans. Instead, they may face prison sentences or be deported to the countries they came from.

Therefore, they should respect the laws, constitutions, and cultures of the countries that have opened their doors to them and given them a better life, a life they might only have dreamed of in their own countries, rather than actually experienced.

Goran Halabjai is a senior Kurdish writer, commentator, and social media figure known for his outspoken and critical views on Kurdish political authorities and Islamic fundamentalism. Halabjai’s FB.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on October 26, 2026.

The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of iKurd.net or its editorial team.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

The post Muslim Rioters in France Turned Protests Into Chaos appeared first on iKurd News.

The U.S. should maintain the pressure on the Iranian regime until it collapses

Serwan Zangana | Exclusive to iKurd.net

The ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran has changed the world’s direction and redefined the norms of the Gulf region. This war is not merely a product of President Donald Trump; rather, decades of hostility from the Iranian regime have contributed to terror and devastation in the region, mainly because the international community was unable to take a firm stance to prevent the Ayatollahs’ regime from overstepping its boundaries.

In retrospect, the former Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein waged an eight-year war, which was supported by the U.S., and despite causing severe damage to both Iraq and Iran, the war served as a shield against Iranian Shiism spreading across the region.

After the fall of Hussein’s regime in 2003, the Arab nations attempted to maintain peace with Iran, as the leaders of the region in the past have realized that the price is indeed very high for taking action against the Ayatollahs. Iran has always destabilized regional security and halted every peace process through its armed militias and its self-proclaimed right to fight for Palestine and call for the eradication of the Jewish State.

Apparently, peace does not exist in Iran’s Islamic regime’s philosophy.

The late supreme leader of Iran’s Islamic regime, Ayatollah Khomeini, said during the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, “Your Iranian brothers, in order to defend their country and push back the attacks on the enemy of Islam, have been forced to cross over into Iraq to save the oppressed Iraqi people. Rise up and install the Islamic government that you want.”

From the time of supreme leader Khomeini in the 1980s until today, the radical ideology and the hostile mindset of the Islamic leaders of Iran have not evolved, as they have continuously believed that the creation of life began with the birth of Shiism. The threat of the Islamic regime extends further, as its intention is to dominate the region and expand its radicalized ideology combined with political power to control the main resources of the region.

Now, the U.S.’s silence regarding the Iran-backed Houthi militia’s attacks on Saudi Arabia is becoming a growing concern for other countries, as the threat from Iran cannot be ignored. Egypt is considering a military deployment to assist the Saudis in their battle against the Houthis, as Egypt clearly views Iran’s threat as a major problem to which no nation is immune.

President Trump has been maneuvering with Iran through his inconsistent statements about the conflict and the military’s actions in the region. Obviously, the U.S. is wisely playing the war game with Iran, for the latter is unlike a typical country that can be easily invaded to overthrow its government. President Trump is also benefitting from this conflict, as, according to the Joint Economic Committee, he has gained over $15 million from oil and gas stocks.

The American public in general disapproves of the U.S.-Iran war, and of course, the Democrats are aligning with the public’s opinion for their political purposes. As the U.S. midterm elections are approaching, the Democrats are aiming to gain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

However, the U.S. is in a stronger position than it appears to be in its war against Iran, and while the American people, who are being encouraged by the Democrats, are outraged by the billions of dollars being spent on the war, it is a major opportunity for the U.S. to maintain its iron hammer on the Islamic regime of Iran and completely destroy its economy.

Apparently, the U.S.’s sanctions on Iran have an immense impact on the country, as the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said, “Never in the 48 years since the Islamic Revolution have we been under such pressure and faced such difficulties.”

But how long will the U.S. remain committed to imposing sanctions on Iran and draining its economy? Militarily, the U.S. has not been able to completely disable the Iranian regime and impact its infrastructure as much as it has economically. Regarding the U.S.’s sanctions on Iran, President Pezeshkian stated that they are “far harder and heavier,” as he compared the economic sanctions to military conflict.

The U.S.-Iran conflict was inevitable, as, for decades, the Islamic regime of Iran has been establishing armed militias and destabilizing the security of the region’s countries, which has also threatened American interests and its closest ally, Israel. The hostility of Iran’s regime is entrenched in its Islamic/Shiite ideology, which has been striving, since 1979, to bring the region under its control.

The existence of the Iranian regime is a permanent threat to the region, as its proxies will always remain vital in the region. In fact, negotiation does not exist in the political Islamic ideology as represented by Iran. The Iran-backed militia, Harakat al-Nujaba, recently declared its opposition to the Iraqi government’s call to disarm the armed militias.

Abdul Qader al-Karbalai, the military deputy for the group, stated, “We affirm that our decision is firm and has not changed regarding our continued non-participation in the political process.” Obviously, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, is unable to change Iraq’s path, as the majority of government members, who are Shia, are ideologically linked to Iran, which influences the political process in Iraq.

After all, to sustain pressure on Iran and increase the impact, the U.S. should not relent; it must continue to impose strict sanctions on the Islamic regime of Iran and block the airways until it collapses.

Serwan Zangana, a contributing writer for iKurd.net, lives in Virginia, U.S. He serves as a correction officer.

The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of iKurd.net or its editorial team.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

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Islamic Shame Gangs Declare War on Kurdish Women Without Hijab

Dlêr Mohammed Nuri | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene

Fear of the Headscarf or the Hijab?!

If you gathered all religious speeches from every pulpit, platform, media outlet, social media platform, page, and account, it would not be an exaggeration to say that women’s clothing, hair, voices, appearance, and world take up the lion’s share of these speeches.

Of the speeches that discuss women, only a small number offer advice; the lion’s share consists of mockery, insults, humiliation, threats, and public shaming of women and girls.

Which women? Certainly, those girls, sisters, mothers, and women who do not cover their heads, do not wear the hijab, and do not wear clothing that fully covers their bodies.

Listen carefully and keep count. Find out how many insults and degrading comments are directed at people every day by Salafists, ISIS and its imitators, and mullahs and fashionable preachers on pulpits, platforms, and social media. In addition to insulting women, they also deeply insult their fathers, brothers, and husbands.

The purpose of these organized attacks is simple: to corner women who do not wear the hijab, along with the men close to them, and pressure them until they give in to efforts to make society wear the hijab. This kind of social and psychological pressure is no different from forcing people to act against their will.

The forced hijab imposed in Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere, whether through morality police or under any other name, has far less influence than psychological pressure or forcing people through shame, social pressure, and making others feel hated and rejected.

Today, in this region, where laws and constitutional rules are in complete disarray and there is no real authority, I do not know of any official or person in power who has as much influence or standing as an aging preacher of unknown credentials or a mullah who graduated only yesterday from some poorly regarded Islamic institute. These people have become the holders of absolute social power, and neither the law nor the authorities dare to stand in their way.

Go ahead and take four teachers, four doctors, four engineers, and four students today, and bring them before a court over a comment or criticism of religion or a religious figure.

The media would pay little attention, and the public would barely notice. But let a young man dare to stand up to Mazhar, Halo, Karwan, or others like them, and you will see how they can turn his life into a living hell.

Today, in this country, people who carry prayer beads, wear turbans, grow beards, wear headscarves, and don niqabs can impose their own religious laws, while those who hold the scales of justice cannot enforce their own civil laws.

Who among you can post a comment criticizing a mullah, a religious figure, a Salafist, or even a filthy ISIS member, or raise a logical objection or question about a religious law or a rule of Sharia, without them dragging your wife, sister, or mother into it to silence you? But go ahead and freely shame women and girls who do not wear the hijab by attacking their clothes, bodies, and hair. Quite a few people will praise you and cheer you on, shouting, “Well done!” and “Bravo!”

Every day, we hear from women we know who do not wear the hijab about the questions and pressure they face in their neighborhoods, at the market, and at work. People ask them why they do not cover themselves from head to toe. As a result of this kind of psychological coercion, dozens of women give in to these demands every day.

Some women have started wearing the full covering simply to improve their chances of getting married because society has confused morality with clothing. We are close to redefining a good woman as someone who wears the full covering and a good young man as someone who has a beard and never misses his prayers.

Regarding the incident involving Omar Sheikh Mous and the female journalist who wears the full covering and headscarf, I disagreed with Mr. Omar’s approach. However, we should not forget the other side of the picture.

The respected woman, who invokes freedom of dress to object to Mr. Omar’s criticism, should ask herself: Who will stop the insults, abusive language, name-calling, and public shaming that take place every day on the pulpits, platforms, and social media pages run by mullahs, preachers, members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists, and others?

If wearing the full covering and headscarf is a matter of personal freedom, and no one should insult or harass a woman for wearing them, shouldn’t the same principle apply in the opposite case? My challenge to the female journalist is to prepare an investigative report covering all the issues raised in this article.

Let her find out who, in today’s chaotic and lawless society, actually faces physical oppression, psychological abuse, and the judgmental scrutiny of society: you, the woman who wears the full covering and headscarf, or those who do not wear the full covering and have not placed a “golden crown!!” on their heads?

Even today, the majority of women in Kurdistan do not wear the full covering or cover their heads. Yet, under the protection of turbans, beards, robes, and imported headscarves, the female journalist’s position still carries more weight than Omar Sheikh Mous’s.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on August 21, 2026.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

Political Islam among the Kurds: The fifth column

The post Islam’s War on Kurdish Women’s Freedom and Dignity appeared first on iKurd News.

Sheri Laizer | Exclusive to iKurd.net

Former investment banker for US bank, Morgan Stanley, one time journalist for the BBC and ITN Granada, multi-millionaire security official, Jonathan Powell is linked with bringing Abu Mohamed al-Jolani, the former Al Qaeda affiliate leader to power through back channel negotiations approved by MI6, and the British SAS.

Jonathan Powell, as Chief of Staff to former Labour Prime Minister, Tony Blair, (1997 to 2007), was linked to attempts to sex up the dossier against Saddam Hussein as a pretext for the war on Iraq.

As I wrote in an article on the Blair cabinet’s false ’45 minutes’ claim against Iraq and the untimely death of former weapons inspector, Dr. David Kelly:

“Journalist Richard Norton-Taylor had observed in the Guardian in September 2003, “There is a dark cabal around Tony Blair” – perhaps the same ‘dark actors’ that Dr Kelly referred to in his email? He observed, “What has already emerged – but been largely ignored – from the Hutton inquiry is the existence of a dark, almost Jacobean, cabal at the core of the Blair administration…It is a group of powerful, unelected people few would have heard of were it not for the evidence given to Hutton: Sir David Manning, the prime minister’s foreign policy adviser; Sir David Omand, his security coordinator; and John Scarlett, chairman of the joint intelligence committee. Until he resigned, the group also included Alastair Campbell, Blair’s communications director. Indeed, he was a prime mover in establishing this inner circle. 3

Norton-Taylor didn’t explicitly refer to Jonathan Powell in this context although he was central to the decision-making, but added: “Above all, they allowed themselves to be embraced by Campbell and opened the door to the tainting of intelligence by politics.”

“You could hear it in their calculating treatment of Kelly who, in Scarlett’s chilling words, should have been subjected to a “security style interview.”

“It seems that he was”…I had opined.

Syria is just a repeat performance. It is immaterial to British interests how many Syrians pay the price of having a jihadist for a president.

Talking with terrorists: Enter Jonathan Powell

In 2014, Jonathan Powell had been the UK Conservative Party leader, David Cameron’s special envoy to Libya – another disaster zone owing to the Arab Spring and foreign interference. Powell also took on negotiating roles in Northern Ireland, North Korea, Afghanistan, with FARC in Colombia and ETA in the Basque country, among other assignments. He went on a decade later to be appointed by Labour PM, Keir Starmer as his ‘Special Security Advisor. Now, the secrets about British intelligence interference in Syria and Powell’s significant role are out in the open.

Jonathan Powell brokered meetings between MI6 and Abu Mohamed al-Jolani (Ahmed al-Shara’a) while working as Chief Executive of his NGO, Inter Mediate. His counterpart was still designated as a terrorist as the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. The National News claims Powell he had first met al-Sharaa back in 2015. 4

The conservative mainstream UK newspaper, the Telegraph ran a heading on 21 November 2025, Starmer’s security chief ran secret backchannel to Syrian terror group. Tony Diver, the Telegraph’s associate political editor claimed that Powell’s Inter Mediate had been founded back in 2011. Powell ‘has had a significant presence in Syria since 2012.’

If so, this was when the Syrian conflict was just a year old and dressed up by the mainstream media for Western audiences as a revolution for democracy against the dictator, Bashar al-Assad. As I wrote at the time it was very clear from early footage that the bearded jihadists crying “AllahuAkhbar” when they launched their attacks were not democracy seeking rebels.

Powell was indeed ‘given responsibility (by MI6) for establishing contact between the intelligence agency and HTS in 2023 yet he had already been active there to sculpt a path for UK interests.

British officials reportedly obtained legal advice that cleared Powell to arrange contact with these terrorist groups on behalf of the UK, “using a defence in counter-terror legislation that permits “genuinely benign” meetings with terrorists, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Al Majalla claimed Powell first met Al Sharaa in May 2021.5 His organisation had been overlapping with another British NGO, the White Helmets, massively funded by the UK Foreign Office with a murky reputation for staging chemical weapons scenes as evidence against Bashar al-Assad’s government. Its CEO, James Le Mesurier had not lived to see the fruits of this labour and met a nasty end in Istanbul in 2019. See, The West’s ‘Red Line’ Fiction: Think Tanks, Jihadists and the White Helmets.

US fingers in the Syrian pie

Jonathan Powell teamed up with Robert Ford, the former US ambassador to Syria (2011-2014).

“Olive-branch carrying peaceful protestors!”

Back in 2011, Ford had visited the Sunni stronghold of Hama and stirred up further resentment against Assad He posted a tirade on Facebook in English and Arabic, saying “how ironic that the Syrian Government lets an anti-U.S. demonstration proceed freely while their security thugs beat down olive branch-carrying peaceful protesters elsewhere.”

He declared, “Hama and the Syrian crisis is not about the U.S. at all. This is a crisis the Syrian people are in the process of solving. It is a crisis about dignity, human rights, and the rule of law.” 7

Ford would later claim that he had met al-Sharaa personally and that al-Sharaa had refused to apologise “for terror attacks his group had committed in Iraq and Syria, which killed scores of civilians between 2017 and 2024, “He claims to have met al-Sharaa twice, once in Idlib under the group’s control in 2023. 8

Powell invited Ford into Inter Mediate to help their Syrian influence project. But al Sharaa denied he had met Ford under such circumstances claiming he only met international delegations. Other accounts say that Ford travelled with Inter Mediate in March and September 2023 and again in January 2024. Powell had taken up his post with Starmer’s government as his National Security Advisor after standing down as the chair of Inter Mediate just six days before the fall of Syria. They knew of course how things were headed and had helped set the conquest in motion.

(Sir) Richard Moore who was head of MI6 at the time of the backchannel operations made similar public revelations from the British Embassy in Istanbul in his farewell speech. 9 He has been a staunch supporter of autocratic Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, including backing him over the 2016 (false flag) coup.

Moore has also acknowledged that the relationship that had begun with al-Sharaa in May 2023 opened the door to the UK being able “to return to the country within weeks” of al-Sharaa seizing power: He did not refer to Powell or Inter Mediate, although sources said Powell’s organisation effectively functioned as an unofficial branch of the UK intelligence services in Damascus. 10

Wikileaks had revealed that Powell had spoken with Hillary Clinton’s office as early as 2012 over his ‘starting work in Syria’ operating closely with the UK Foreign Office and MI6. Her campaign advisor, Sid Blumenthal emailed her saying Powell had ‘initiated some very interesting work below the radar.’ Powell’s email, reproduced for her, added:

‘We work closely with FCO, NSC and SIS in London but this is our first visit to the US to talk about what we do. I have a meeting with Bill Burns, an old friend, but would be grateful for guidance on who else I should see in DC and in New York. I will be in Washington from 18 to 21 March and then in New York from 21-23 March. I will be accompanied by my deputy, Arabella Phillimore, ex UN and ex FCO (Afghanistan).

These manoeuvres so early into the Syrian conflict confirm Bashar al-Assad’s claim that foreign forces were trying to take over his country.

The Wikipedia leaks emails then revealed that visiting Washington the same year, Powell met Hillary Clinton, her deputy secretary, Bill Burns, (who later became director of the CIA), and her adviser Jake Sullivan, who later served as Joe Biden’s national security adviser. He is remembered for his famous 2012 claim that ‘Al Qaeda is on our side in Syria.’

Powell and the plotted demise of the PKK and PYD – A boost to the KDP

Jonathan Powell remains in office as the Labour government’s National Security Advisor (although speaking of imminent departure on health grounds). He was also fielded to engage the PKK and PYD on their disarmament in favour of Erdoğan’s ‘terror Free’ Turkey policy that nowhere uses the word ‘Kurd.’ 12 Powell is said by Al Majalla to have been in Istanbul when PKK captive leader, Abdullah Öcalan spoke at a state organised news conference to declare that the PKK was to lay down its arms.13

The National reported that “working with the UK-based think tank Democratic Progress Institute, Powell and his team developed a program drawing on lessons from Northern Ireland.

The team briefed MPs from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). An unnamed source said that “The American thinking was that one day there would be a withdrawal from Syria. When that day came, they did not want the Kurds in Syria to enter into conflict with Turkey. They wanted to prepare the ground for that.” 14

The Biden administration had reportedly reached out to Erdoğan to propose a deal with the PYD which then extended into a so-called wider ‘peace’ process. The UK became involved in these talks, and Powell’s company, Inter Mediate, also had long-standing contact with the PYD as well as Turkey under a state assignment dating back to 2017, and with the Turkish Kurds in focus with Erdoğan’s 2013 peace posturing.

Kurdish and Turkish MPs had travelled to the UK and Ireland that year looking at ways of resolving the long running Kurdish problem. It was not sincere on either the UK or Erdoğan’s ‘ part but aimed at ending Kurdish opposition to Turkification historically posited as ‘integration.’

According to the Kurdish “authorities” running Iraqi Kurdistan via the enduring duopoly, “Powell reaffirmed London’s commitment to supporting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, praising the Region’s role in promoting peace and stability. The statement noted that the meeting underscored shared priorities in strengthening cooperation and addressing common security concerns.”

Wither headed?

In his most recent position as two UK Labour Party PMs, National Security Advisor, (successively to Keir Starmer), and Tony Blair’s decade-long Chief of Staff, Powell had to step down from Inter Mediate that he had co-founded with Martin Griffiths – the former UN Special Envoy to Yemen and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator until 2024 when al-Sharaa was helped to power.

Afrique-Asie in a French translation of a Vanessa Beeley article spoke critically of the role Jonathan Powell and Inter Mediate had played also claiming that his NGO benefited from GBP 4 million funding from the UK Foreign Office between 2011-2020. 15 The White Helmets also benefitted and continues to benefit from massive funding in the name of relief and training etc. while its deeper political role was masked.

Inter Mediate remains in the Presidential Palace with Ahmed al-Sharaa

Just four days before al-Sharaa seized power, Claire Hajaj was appointed as Inter Mediate’s new executive director. She has a background in the UN Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee from the period leading up to the war against Iraq. Haaj then worked with the UN Special Representative for Iraq following the US invasion during the peak of the violent backlash by various resistance forces the occupying parties chose ever to denigrate as an ‘insurgency’. It was in fact a legitimate response by Iraqis to the war unleashed upon them.

Long term projects director in Inter Mediate’s Damascus setting is someone named Lucy Stuart, credited by her organisation as speaking Arabic and Farsi. 16 She is reported to be advising another former US-designated terrorist, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani – a co-founder of al-Nusra.

Stuart is said to have written for Al Arabiya’s London bureau during the Syrian conflict, but I could only find one article with her name to it on search engines. That article is entirely based on citations from an Amnesty International report accusing the Assad government of severe human rights abuses back in July 2011. 17 The final citation from their report reads: “However, Mr. Luther concludes that despite President Bashar Al Assad’s talk of reform, there is little evidence so far that the Syrian authorities will respond to anything but concrete international measures.”

Lucy Stuart is now dubiously credited with coaching al-Shibani for his meeting with Tony Blair at Davos of January 22, 2025. See the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change video.

Foreign fingers

Accounts filed for Inter Mediate with the Charity Commission in 2025 reveal that its assets rose to £1,625,316 from £668,745 the previous year. The number of its employees increased dramatically from two to 13 people, and it had adopted an investment plan of up to £1.75 million over five years exceeding its fundraising targets. It had profited from a “greater commitment from the [Foreign Office] through a new partnership agreement with the Office of Conflict and Stabilisation.” 18

Jonathan Powell’s elder brother is none other than Lord Charles Powell, a former Conservative and administrator of the Said Foundation established by British-Syrian national, Wafic Said. Said soon travelled to the seat of al-Jolani once he seated himself in the Presidential Palace in Damascus.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army officer and an expert on bio-chemical weapons was also immediately seen to be present in Damascus after the seizure of power by HTS. He visited the new Ministry of Health and further promoted the role of the White Helmets ‘incubated’ by MI6 and the CIA. He wrote glowingly of the new regime for the Telegraph.

Al Sharaa is now ‘the President’, not an interim president, fully endorsed by those that helped put him there. “ The Syrian president was in London this week, and he is an example of how regime change should happen: from within, but with just enough external support to tip the balance.

According to Russia Today, I had a hand in Assad’s downfall. That’s nonsense, of course. If I did play even a small role, I’d take quiet satisfaction in it. But the truth is, the fall of Assad was the work of Syrians themselves, groups like the White Helmets, the Idlib Health Directorate, and countless other ordinary citizens who laid the groundwork for change over many brutal years…” 19

Underlining is my emphasis.

Ordinary Syrians? Well!

Emerald Solutions is also named by anti-establishment reporter, Vanessa Beeley as yet another British military/mercenary group backing al-Sharaa in the ‘new’ Syria.

In October 2025, Declassifed UK, another investigative news website revealed how: “Keir Starmer’s special representative to Syria, Ann Snow, met defence minister Murhaf Abu Qasra in Damascus. This followed a meeting between Qasra and Britain’s chief military adviser in the Middle East, Vice Admiral Edward Ahlgren, in July:

“The meetings indicate the UK is deepening relations with Syrian military forces that took power in Damascus in December last year, overthrowing the regime of Bashar Assad which had ruled since 2000. Snow posted that her meeting with Qasra was “to exchange views on the Syrian army’s internal reform and restructuring and the evolving security situation including in the north east and Sweida.” 20

Human Rights Watch – A Counter View of the new regime

Despite all the gloss, a Human Rights Watch report dated September 23, 2025 headed, “Are you Alawi?” Identity-based Killings during Syria’s Transition documented how just two weeks before Snow’s visit: “government forces, comprising Defense and Interior Ministry units, alongside government-aligned armed groups and armed volunteers swept through Alawi-majority neighborhoods, towns, and villages in Tartous, Latakia, and Hama governorates leaving behind torched homes, piled bodies, mass graves, and broken communities.

The answer to one question repeated during methodical house-to-house raids and before brutal executions often determined whether you lived or died: “Are you Alawi?”…Interviews with fighters and volunteers reveal that men unaffiliated with the security forces were actively recruited, armed, organized, and deployed alongside formal units by Defense Ministry representatives… Efforts to vet fighters and commanders lagged, allowing previously unaccountable units to rebrand as state forces and act with impunity. 21

Last laugh

British, American, French, German, Turkish and Iraqi Kurdish leaders have all shaken hands with the jihadist leader whose philosophy is expressed in Islamist utterances at street level they calmly choose to ignore.

Posters and messages discriminate between fundamentalist Muslims and the ‘infidels.’

For example, a recent decision issued by the Municipality of Douma prohibits the entry of a groom to the hall where the females are celebrating the wedding under a legal penalty of accountability/guilt. The bride must only celebrate with women and the groom elsewhere with men.

The Brothers are laughing up their sleeves.

The post Stealing Syria: The Dirty Hands of British Infiltration appeared first on iKurd News.

Kurdish Democracy Is Just Dictatorship With a Smile

Zana Tawfiq Beg | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene

How Much Longer Must We Endure Injustice?!

I consider myself fortunate to have freed myself at a young age from the glorification of imaginary symbols and distorted ideologies. I quickly saw through these illusions, without taking sides with either the executioners or the victims.

In an unequal society with a corrupt political system, it is difficult to tell the oppressor from the oppressed. You cannot make full use of your abilities, and within this kind of unjust regional political system, you are unlikely to be given the opportunity to demonstrate your intellectual abilities.

Have many political forces lost their political identity because of inequality and corruption in the distribution of positions and ranks?

Some of them claim to be democratic and moderate. They claim that their institutions are built on elections and the intellectual abilities of their members. But in reality, this is not true. Political figures are appointed to government and party positions based on personal loyalty, not on their ability to think critically. This kind of practice will undoubtedly lead these political forces and their authority toward decline.

Another group of political forces follows a particular ideology and adheres to a set of centralized principles. Today, such groups are rare in democratic societies. However, in the Kurdistan Region, these ideas continue to grow and spread, giving these groups the ability to influence society. They can label an article’s author an unbeliever or even threaten to kill them simply for presenting an argument or writing a critical article against Islamist forces.

It is important to point out that all these undemocratic forces, especially those that emerged in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, originated within Eastern societies. The conditions in these societies provide fertile ground for the growth of such ideas and ideologies. This is particularly true in Kurdistan, where the Region’s geopolitical position and social circumstances favor the strengthening of an old, conservative way of thinking.

This traditional mindset views weapons as a means of communication, treats political figures as sacred, and places personal loyalty above all else. This, in turn, encourages political inequality and creates opportunities for greedy, immoral individuals within political forces. Their influence extends into government institutions and executive bodies, reaching even the leadership of political parties.

The Middle East Prays for Change Instead of Building It

Hashem Saleh, an Arab reformist thinker, has spent more than fifty years challenging this kind of Eastern political mentality.

He argues that many of the causes lie with the people of Eastern societies themselves. Instead of using their own reasoning to improve their living conditions, they continually turn to prayer in the hope of finding solutions.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on October 17, 2026.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

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Why have the Kurdish people still been unable to secure their rights?

Salih Zhajlayi | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene

In the fourth part of this discussion, I spoke about the role and importance of charismatic leaders, especially during periods of national liberation. I felt it was very important to discuss the leaders of the September Revolution, which began in Southern Kurdistan in 1961, to determine whether any of them possessed the qualities of a charismatic leader. In Part Four, I discussed Mulla Mustafa as a Kurdish leader of that period. In this part, I want to discuss another Kurdish leader.

Massoud Barzani, the son of Mulla Mustafa

Mulla Mustafa had several sons, but after his death, only Idris and Massoud emerged as his successors. However, shortly after Mulla Mustafa’s death, his son Idris also passed away, and Massoud Barzani became the leading figure of the Barzani family.

Today, Nechirvan Barzani, the eldest son of Idris Barzani, appears to be his father’s political successor. He plays an important role both within the Kurdistan Regional Government and within his own family. Masrour Barzani, the eldest son of Massoud Barzani, also appears to be his father’s successor. He, too, plays an important role both within the Regional Government and within his family.

In the view of informed and educated people, Massoud Barzani, his sons, Idris Barzani, and the other members of their family share Mulla Mustafa’s views and follow his path in leading the Kurdish people, pursuing freedom, and achieving their goals.

Although they now live in circumstances very different from those in which Mulla Mustafa led the revolution, they have still not moved beyond a tribal mindset, which is incompatible with modern politics. This is because their own interests, those of their tribe and clan, and those of their close associates have always mattered far more to them than the collective interests of the Kurdish people.

Therefore, whether they like it or not, and whether the public approves of them or not, they have become obstacles to the Kurdish people securing their rights. The collective interests of an occupied, divided, and oppressed people cannot be reduced to the interests of a single family and tribe.

Our discussion focuses on charismatic leadership among a people deprived of their rights. We have argued that Mulla Mustafa, despite all his struggles, efforts, fame, and reputation, was unable to earn the title of a charismatic leader. In the same way, given his current mindset, Massoud Barzani has not been able to become a charismatic leader, nor is he likely to become one.

Unfortunately, Massoud Barzani had far greater opportunities than his father to become an outstanding Kurdish leader because the global political situation was very different from that during his late father Mulla Mustafa’s time.

However, because of his short-sightedness in politics, his strong attachment to his own family and tribe, and his tendency to view the general interests of the entire nation through the lens of his own family’s interests, he has neither become a charismatic leader nor shown any real prospect of becoming one. In Part Four, we discussed all the qualities of a charismatic leader, but Massoud Barzani possesses very few of these qualities.

The same appears to be true of his eldest son, Masrour Barzani, who is now the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government and whom Massoud Barzani is seeking to establish as his successor. In other words, he is being positioned to become the leading figure of the Barzani family.

There is little hope or clear prospect that he will become a charismatic leader who enjoys public support. Instead, he is following exactly in his father’s footsteps, which is incompatible with modern politics.

Why has Massoud Barzani been unable to become a charismatic Kurdish leader?

After the 1991 popular uprising by the people of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani was presented with a golden opportunity to become the leader of all Kurds. Unfortunately, instead of taking advantage of this opportunity and using it to serve the nation, he made hundreds of other serious and damaging mistakes.

I am not discussing Massoud Barzani’s mistakes here simply to criticize or mock him, because every human being, including every world leader, makes mistakes. No one is free from error. The problem with Massoud Barzani, however, is that he listens to no one, does not learn from his mistakes, and continually drags the Kurdish people into complicated crises.

Here, I will discuss only two of President Barzani’s most damaging mistakes. In an article I wrote some time ago, I discussed two major strategic mistakes made by Massoud Barzani and two major strategic mistakes made by Mam Jalal. Since those mistakes are directly relevant to this discussion, I will revisit President Barzani’s two mistakes here. Later, when discussing Mam Jalal, I will also explain his two mistakes.

President Barzani’s First Major Strategic Mistake

Holding the referendum

Ever since the Kurdish people began their struggle in Southern Kurdistan, bringing Kirkuk back into the territory of Kurdistan has been a goal and a strategic objective. For the KDP, Kirkuk was the heart of Kurdistan, while for the PUK, it was Kurdistan’s sacred land. Unfortunately, in the end, Kirkuk became a victim of the disagreements between the PUK and the KDP.

Every Kurd must understand that, at this stage, no country in the world is willing to formally recognize Kirkuk as part of Kurdistan. Their interests do not align with such a move, and doing so would mean the breakup of Iraq, which they would not accept.

However, if the Kurds had acted wisely and rationally and assessed the situation carefully, then even if Kirkuk had not formally become part of the Kurdistan Region, its Kurdish identity could still have been recognized, and it would not have been occupied as it is today.

Massoud Barzani’s biggest mistake was making the decision to hold the referendum unilaterally, based on his own judgment, without listening to intellectuals and others concerned about the nation’s future, and without heeding the request from the United States. At the time, the U.S. Secretary of State had written a 700-word letter to President Barzani, asking him to delay the referendum for just one year and promising to do whatever was necessary to support him.

But, unfortunately, not just a hundred times, but a thousand times, President Barzani did not listen even to the United States.

President Barzani’s short-sightedness lay in failing to recognize that, for an issue of such importance, he should have secured the support of the United Nations and at least several major world powers. Only then should he have made the decision to hold the referendum. Instead, without any of these guarantees, he made the decision unilaterally. As a result, the Kurds lost more than half of their territory, and we witnessed the suffering of so many people in Tuz Khurmatu, who were killed, massacred, and displaced.

Did you not see with your own eyes how, during that period, an Iraqi soldier put a noose around the neck of a Kurdish farmer simply because the farmer had defended his land against occupation? And now, instead of punishing the soldier, they have punished the farmer with a fine of one million dinars, which a patriotic Kurd has paid on his behalf.

What does Massoud Barzani say to himself when he sees such painful scenes? Even now, he expresses no regret. Instead, he takes pride in that decision and considers the referendum proof of Kirkuk’s ownership. This is because he continues to conduct politics with a tribal mindset. In a tribal system, the tribal chief is never considered to be wrong.

Massoud Barzani’s Second Major Strategic Mistake

In 1964, a conflict broke out between the Political Bureau faction and Mulla Mustafa. To this day, the Kurdish people continue to suffer from the consequences of that division. It led to many major and heartbreaking tragedies, too numerous to count. Describing them all would require dozens of books.

After Mulla Mustafa’s death, disagreements emerged between Massoud Barzani on one side and Mam Jalal and Nawshirwan Mustafa on the other. Over time, both Mam Jalal and Nawshirwan Mustafa passed away, leaving Massoud Barzani alone on the political stage of the Region, without any rivals.

Although the political field was now open to President Barzani, even to this day he has been unable to become the leader of all Southern Kurdistan.

The question is: why?

If President Barzani had possessed a broad vision and been free of a spirit of revenge, he should have recognized that both of his rivals had passed away and that he was now the only major figure left on the political stage.

When Kak Nawshirwan passed away, Barzani should have immediately gone to Sulaimani, attended the mourning ceremony, and then taken both of Kak Nawshirwan’s sons by the hand and visited Mam Jalal’s home. He should have said to them:

“Throughout the years of the revolution, your father and I were rivals. We fought against each other and caused great harm to the Kurdish cause. Now, they are both gone, and I have no rivals left.”

These words would have conveyed the message: “I do not consider you my rivals. In other words, you are not on my level.”

He should then have promised them, “From this day forward, I will consider you my nephews, and I will put an end to these disputes once and for all.”

After that, he should have instructed Nechirvan and Masrour to undertake a series of projects in the Sulaimani area. For example, they could have completed the Chamchamal water supply project, finished the dual-carriageway roads connecting Sulaimani to Kalar and Sulaimani to Ranya, and completed Sulaimani’s 100-meter-wide road.

At that time, none of the PUK leaders was in a position to replace Mam Jalal and Kak Nawshirwan. Neither Bafel nor Qubad was in a position to fill the roles of Mam Jalal and Kak Nawshirwan. Over time, President Barzani could have become the true leader of all Southern Kurdistan.

But, a thousand times unfortunately, President Barzani was not even willing to attend Kak Nawshirwan’s mourning ceremony. This suggests that he was very pleased by Kak Nawshirwan’s death because he had been rid of his second rival.

When the Iranians saw this situation, they decided to bring the PUK onto their side and use it whenever they wanted. They therefore instructed Iraq’s Shiite political forces to prioritize Mam Jalal’s sons, support them, and strengthen their position within the Iraqi government. In other words, they wanted to prepare them to oppose the KDP whenever necessary.

That is exactly what happened. Today, look at how Bafel Talabani stands against Massoud Barzani and openly challenges him.

If the current situation in the Kurdistan Region had occurred during Mam Jalal’s lifetime, with elections held two years earlier and no government yet formed, he would have visited President Barzani and made compromises for the sake of Kurdish interests.

But look at the situation today. Bafel Talabani is even tougher than his father.

What I have explained above shows that even when President Barzani has no rivals, he creates them for himself. This goes back to his tribal background. He has still been unable to move beyond tribal boundaries and change his approach. He should stop thinking about revenge, strengthen the unity of his people, try to treat all citizens equally, stand by them in their struggles, and think about the future of the nation.

Unfortunately, President Barzani has wasted all his golden opportunities and has failed to become a truly charismatic leader.

As things stand today, he appears unable even to preserve unity within his own family, where serious disagreements persist. When he eventually passes away, it would not be surprising if major conflicts emerge among members of his family, because the family has grown and its competing interests have multiplied.

I hope nothing like that happens, because it would not serve the interests of the Kurdish people either.

Salih Zhajlayi, one of the political figures in Sulaimani city, Iraqi Kurdistan, and formerly the Deputy Head of the General Assembly of the Gorran (Change) Movement, is currently working independently in Sulaimani.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on October 15, 2026.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

The post Why Massoud Barzani failed to become a charismatic Kurdish leader? appeared first on iKurd News.

Nechirvan Barzani Can No Longer Hide Behind Diplomacy. He Is Not a Diplomat. 

Dr. Sharif Ali | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene

Why Did Nechirvan Barzani Insult the Sleeping Forces of Eastern Kurdistan?

Nechirvan, the outgoing president of one-third of Southern Kurdistan [Iraqi Kurdistan], launched a harsh and insulting attack on the forces of Eastern Kurdistan [Iranian Kurdistan] yesterday. In his remarks, he also deliberately avoided mentioning Nawshirwan Mustafa’s role during much of Southern Kurdistan’s history.

Why did he do so deliberately? Because Nechirvan has dozens of advisers who appear to be Iranian and Turkish agents. They carefully tell him what to say and what not to say!

In other words, Mr. Beglerbeg Nechirvan Barzani is not someone who simply throws words around or speaks without thinking. Rather, these statements are deliberately prepared for him and serve a specific purpose!

They even call this subservience “diplomacy.” As someone who specializes in diplomacy, I can say that remarks made by a president of a nation have nothing to do with diplomatic skill or political balance. Instead, they insult and humiliate his own nation and serve the interests of occupying powers.

Honesty is the most important standard for any human being! It is well known that I have three reasons for disliking Nawshirwan Mustafa:

Nawshirwan Mustafa was a leader who put Sulaimani first. I, too, am a committed nationalist and academic. To me, there is no difference between Khanaqin, Shingal, Mosul, Kermanshah, Diyarbakir, Ilam, Afrin, Urmia, and Gaziantep!

Nawshirwan spent part of his life serving the occupiers of Kurdistan. For a time, he was a member of the 66th Division. Later, he was among those who paved the way for the Revolutionary Guards to enter Southern Kurdistan, which subsequently suffered the Anfal campaign and chemical attacks.

Nawshirwan took millions of dollars from the nation’s wealth and property and deliberately left that wealth to his descendants. By contrast, I have always placed the general interests of the Kurdish nation ahead of my own interests and everything else, because I firmly believe in developing a [modern nationalism] for the great Kurdish nation of Zagrosian origin.

Even so, I do not want to abandon [scientific candor] and honesty. Despite the shortcomings I have mentioned, Nawshirwan Mustafa was the most highly educated leader in Southern Kurdistan, more highly educated even than Jalal Talabani and Ibrahim Ahmad. Nechirvan’s own level of education is, in fact, completely inadequate. These points are clear to academics who investigate the matter carefully and speak the truth!

Although writers and commentators from Southern and Eastern Kurdistan have condemned Nechirvan’s insults, I want to explain, through my own analysis, the hidden motives behind his attacks on the dormant forces of Eastern Kurdistan!

Why is this analysis important? Because it will make Nechirvan understand that there are people among the Kurds who can expose the hidden schemes behind the statements prepared for him and the words he is told to utter!

Western media reports have alleged that Nechirvan, the KDP as a whole, and the PUK as a whole received weapons and ammunition from the United States and secretly sent them into Iran. There was even talk of Israeli assistance.

Through these insults directed at the forces of Eastern Kurdistan, Nechirvan wants to conceal the schemes he and the PUK carried out against the Islamic Republic of Iran. He has gone so far as to suggest that Iran is sending drones against them because of their secrets and dealings with the United States. That is why he irresponsibly accuses the forces of Eastern Kurdistan: he has learned from them!

But the Persians are cunning, and Nechirvan, Bafel Talabani, Qubad Talabani, and the PKK cannot fool them. The Persians know very well what the PUK and KDP have done against the Iranian regime. Nechirvan’s statements will not deceive them!

Go ahead, Nechirvan. Keep making statements against your own nation and siding with the occupiers. I know very well what makes your stolen palaces tremble. That is why I am directly exposing what lies behind the secrets of your statements!

The Iranian regime will not be fooled by your statements, nor will it forget that you were the ones who received money and weapons from the United States, sent them into Iran, and caused thousands of casualties!

If the cowardly leaders of Eastern Kurdistan have even a little courage, they will not simply forget Nechirvan’s insults. At the very least, they should issue a joint official statement declaring that they will refuse to give statements or interviews to Nechirvan’s oil-funded Rudaw channel for three months. That would be the smallest possible response to Mr. Nechirvan Barzani’s remarks!

The statement Massoud Barzani issued in opposition to the MERI Forum is also a trick, a smokescreen, and an exercise in dividing roles: Massoud and Masrour on one side, and Nechirvan on the other.

Otherwise, if Massoud is genuinely outspoken and opposes the MERI Forum, let him take practical action in response to the insult Bafel directed at Massoud Barzani during the MERI meeting, when he said: “Who are you to refuse to accept the agreement between us in the PUK and the New Generation Movement?!”

If Massoud takes concrete action in response to Bafel’s insult, then the statement issued by Barzani’s headquarters will contain at least a little truth. Otherwise, it is simply role-playing and a smokescreen!

Of course, part of my work, as someone who opposes the oppressive PUK and KDP and the occupying powers, is to fish even in muddy waters! I analyze things as I see fit. Because I am impartial, I oppose oppression and collaboration with the occupiers! Even when it is deliberate, I know exactly where to strike the collaborators!

As I have said dozens of times since 2014, “Every opposition force in Southern Kurdistan is fake, fabricated, and created by the security and intelligence apparatus. Even if they promote reform and change in the region through the hollow democracy of the Kurdistan Region and its cardboard parliament, nothing will change. Only an armed uprising or armed revolution can bring an end to the KDP-PUK’s oppressive, tribal rule!”

In fact, this year’s “MERI Forum” should have been called “The Meeting of the Iranian Consulate’s Dervishes in Erbil!” Almost every official from Southern and Western Kurdistan gathered there! It is as if Iran had meticulously engineered the entire event!

Mr. Nechirvan, you know what you have done against the [sacred!] regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past year or so. You are afraid that Iran’s Islamic Republic leaders will find out more about your actions or remove you from the presidency. That is why you want to wipe your greasy hands on the forces of Eastern Kurdistan! If those forces had been effective, they would have heeded my writings, seized their opportunity, and avoided becoming the laughingstock of you, Bafel, Qubad, and the PKK!

Nechirvan, I do not believe the Persians are so naive or easily deceived that they will fail to uncover more of your actions! Still, it is true that these insulting statements against your own nation and your betrayal of the Kurds of Eastern Kurdistan may help you regain the position that honorable and dignified people in Kurdistan despise you for holding.

Go ahead and remain president of the Region for another hundred years. If your own nation hates you and the occupiers use you, what value does that position have beyond allowing you to profit from it? Let it be of benefit only to you and those like you!

Nechirvan and Qubad pioneered the dismantling of Kurdish family values and the promotion of so-called “model girls.” In doing so, they undermined the family structure of Kurdish society, delivering a major strategic benefit to the occupiers of Kurdistan. Eastern Kurdistan is the cradle of authentic Kurdish culture and the Zagros Mountains. That is why it has become a thorn in the side of Kurdistan’s traitors!

Nechirvan was also the mastermind behind the squandering and plundering of the Region’s oil revenues to establish the Rudaw channel. Hundreds of employees funded by oil revenues receive enormous salaries, while the families of martyrs and Anfal victims live below the poverty line.

These employees funded by oil revenues are on the side of the oppressors. They do not have even the slightest courage to produce a program about the millions of dollars that the Barzani, Talabani, and Ibrahim Ahmad families, including Nechirvan and his children, continue to spend!

Nechirvan has been given the opportunity to praise Abu Mohammed al-Golani, Erdogan, and Khamenei while insulting his own nation and trampling on its dignity! If he did not hold the position of regional president and had chosen this path, it would have been understandable. But this is the opposite of political integrity and patriotism. Nechirvan calls these behaviors “diplomacy!”

Nechirvan should also be aware of a Turkish proverb. When the Turks began using Sheikh Mahmud against the British in March 1919, they had a saying that seems to fit Nechirvan’s position perfectly. It is almost as if the Turks created this proverb specifically for him.

For more than a century, the Turks have said:

Ağaçtan olmaz maşa

Kürt’ten olmaz paşa

The first line means that you cannot make tongs out of wood to handle objects in a fire or among hot coals, because the wood itself will burn.

The second line means that you cannot make a “pasha” out of a Kurd.

In other words, even if a Kurd presents himself as a “king” or “pasha,” a single letter from an officer such as Mustafa Kemal can make him serve whoever they choose!

The Turks, who have been a major imperial power on Kurdish lands for more than five centuries, have undoubtedly learned a great deal about Kurdish leaders who collaborate with the occupiers, sell themselves, and trade away their own nation’s interests. That is why hundreds of former Turkish and Persian Muslim Brotherhood members and collaborators now receive generous salaries from the Barzani and Talabani family channels.

If the Turks had not understood the Kurds so well, they would not have been able to exploit Kurdish leaders under the banner of “religious brotherhood” during the opportunity for change presented by the outbreak of World War I in 1914, drawing them into the Battle of Shaiba. Nor would they have been able, in recent years, to use the slogan of “brotherhood among peoples” to turn Western and Northern Kurdistan into a political mess!

Fine, suppose the leaders of the dormant forces of Eastern Kurdistan had also attended the MERI Forum. Apart from empty talk and the waste of the nation’s wealth, what would this so-called meeting have achieved for the poor and the families of Kurdistan’s martyrs? What strategy did it have, or could it have had, for liberating Kurdistan?

It is clear that [many] leaders of the Democratic Party act as servants of the enforcers of both occupying powers: the KDP and the PUK. All Iranian Komala organizations, too, are collaborators with the KDP, PUK, and PKK! That is why they dare not make a sound. They have brought disgrace upon the Kurdish cause in Eastern Kurdistan, and now the question of Eastern Kurdistan has become a joke at the MERI Forum.

Dr. Sharif Ali: PhD in International Diplomacy, United Kingdom.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on October 14, 2026.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

The post Why Nechirvan Barzani deliberately insults Iranian Kurdistan forces? appeared first on iKurd News.

Festivals Instead of Freedom, Jobs, Justice, and Basic Needs

Dr. Amir Hussein | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene

No Bread? Let Them Eat Festivals

“If there is no bread, let them eat cake.” This sentence has been used throughout history as a symbol of the ruling class’s attitude and its ignorance of people’s living conditions and hunger. It is often attributed to Marie Antoinette, the wife of Louis XVI.

According to the story, when hungry revolutionaries demanded bread, she said, “That’s fine. If there is no bread, let them eat cake!” Since then, this phrase has become a saying used to criticize any government that shows no concern for the crises and hardships facing its society.

And now, in the face of all these existential crises threatening our future, our own rulers are busy organizing various festivals and bizarre exhibitions. It is as if they are telling citizens: “It’s fine if you have problems. Just eat exhibitions and festivals!”

This is the ruling authorities’ wise recipe for dealing with some of the crises currently plaguing our nation:

In response to the political crisis: an eggplant and kuleka [Zucchini courgette] festival, along with two small danula concerts.

In response to the economic crisis: two pomegranate festivals, a cat beauty contest, and a fashion show.

In response to the fuel crisis: two nights of celebrations at Azadi Park and a Muradkhani festival.

In response to the salary crisis: a week of concerts featuring Turkish, Arab, and Persian artists under the title “Living Together Across Different Cultures!”

In response to the rising dollar exchange rate: a VIP festival in the backyard of the dollar bazaar [currency market in Sulaimani city].

In response to the electricity and water crises, theft, and corruption: dance to your heart’s content for six months, then repeat the festivities twice a year.

In response to unemployment and growing frustration among young people: a festival featuring shapqa, three-quarter-length shorts, and hookah, held beside canals and rivers.

In response to injustice and violations of rights and freedoms: two exhibitions and three festivals featuring local pigeons and other birds, along with a gathering filled with fruit and traditional Kurdish food.

Seriously, is this really the recipe for solving the problems of Kurdistan Region that held elections more than two years ago but still has not convened its parliament or formed a government? Meanwhile, its economy is burdened with more than $30 billion in debt.

Most importantly, its people have long dreamed of having a state of their own.

They have sacrificed tens of thousands of lives for that dream, struggled relentlessly for a century, and endured the Anfal genocide and chemical attacks.

Yet now, all political forces, including the opposition, stand with their hands raised in prayer, hoping that the KDP and PUK will simply come together. Meanwhile, the region is boiling like a pressure cooker, has become a battlefield with no clear winners, and is surrounded by dangers and threats on all sides!

In conclusion, festivals, exhibitions, celebrations, and special events are important and necessary. They can be seen as signs of stability and prosperity, but only when they are organized on a sound basis and serve their intended purpose.

When the sole objective is to numb society and cover up all these serious crises, festivals inevitably become fortresses of lies and symbols of deception.

They become nothing more than opportunities for people to forget their problems and temporarily release their anger and anxiety. At that point, festivals, exhibitions, and activities of this kind undoubtedly lose their true message, meaning, and purpose.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on October 12, 2026.

The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of iKurd.net or its editorial team.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved

The post Kurdistan’s Bizarre Festivals, No Bread No Jobs No Pay appeared first on iKurd News.

Nechirvan Barzani Got AI Flattery From His Own Headlines

Twana Amin | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene

A Little Too Thick!

Today, Dr. Bilal Wahab, president of the American University, read a poem, a eulogy, and a piece of praise generated by ChatGPT for Nechirvan Barzani at the MERI Forum. Both men, along with the audience, were astonished and delighted! What I want to question in this short piece is not the little piece of corn floating in the yogurt.

It is normal in a corrupt, brother-helping-brother society like ours for the heads of academic institutions and centers to humble themselves before politicians more readily than ordinary people do! Rather, my focus is on the “wow” and amazement expressed by the regional president and his enthusiastic audience over a clichéd piece of writing produced by a language model like ChatGPT.

What the president of the American University read was not a text; it was nonsense. Language models are trained on data provided by their developers. Most of the information available about a regional politician comes from the internet. In this case, social media and the websites of Nechirvan Barzani’s media outlets in three languages are the main sources of the requested information.

This is the same giant media machine owned by the president that, a hundred times a day, uses pictures, text, audio, videos, and commentary from guests on his programs to portray even a walk by the president and his son in the Gulf as a major achievement for the Kurdish people.

The AI language model got its information from these sources. But how does it put that information together? It does so according to the preferences of the person holding the phone! In the training of these models, there is a concept known as sycophancy. The model caters to the user’s preferences and gives answers the user likes and that align with their views.

This is a form of highly sophisticated flattery. These models are not as impartial, honest, and unbiased as some people believe. For example, if I ask ChatGPT the same question about Nechirvan Barzani that the president of the American University asked, it will never give me the answer we saw on television today. It will never use the title “statesman” before his name in a response to me. Why?

From the very first moment a person starts using them, these language models, especially ChatGPT, save conversations and chats and shape their answers based on that person’s preferences. In addition to the user’s preferences and previous conversations, another important factor is how the question is worded.

Tell it, “List the diplomatic successes of a political leader I support,” and it will give you the kind of answer we saw. Now, let Dr. Bilal be honest as an academic and ask, “List this man’s political failures.” Let’s see what kind of answer he gets then!

In short, the amazement shown by the king, his court, and his enthusiastic, applause-happy guests at ChatGPT is a sign of the scientific ignorance and intellectual poverty of the very people who control the livelihoods of you and me.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on October 13, 2026.

The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of iKurd.net or its editorial team.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved

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Kurdish Opposition to the Nomination of Reza Pahlavi for the 2026 Freedom Prize for the Iranian People

Kurdish American Education Society KAES via iKurd.net

October 12, 2026

Ardishir Rashidi Kalhur
President
Kurdish American Education Society

The Honorable Steffen Saebisch
President
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Karl-Marx-Strasse 2
14482 Potsdam, Germany

Subject: KAES Statement of Opposition to the Nomination of Reza Pahlavi for the 2026 Freedom Prize for the Iranian People

Dear President Saebisch,

I am writing on behalf of the Kurdish American Education Society (KAES) to formally express our opposition to the nomination of Mr. Reza Pahlavi as the recipient of the Foundation’s Freedom Prize for the Iranian People.

While we respect the significance of this award and the longstanding work of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in promoting democratic values, we believe that Mr. Pahlavi’s record and political conduct do not align with the principles and criteria that should guide the selection of such an honoree.

Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, Mr. Pahlavi and many of his supporters in the Iranian diaspora have advocated for the restoration of the former dictatorial system that ruled Iran under the Pahlavi family. In our view, such efforts do not represent a commitment to a genuinely democratic and inclusive future for all peoples of Iran.

The human rights record of the former Pahlavi regime, particularly with respect to political freedoms and the treatment of non-Persian national communities, has been the subject of extensive historical documentation and criticism. Many Kurds, along with other national minorities in Iran, experienced political repression and denial of cultural, political and linguistic rights during that period.

As members of the Kurdish national community in Iran, whose people have endured repeated human rights violations under both the current Islamic Republic and previous governments, we do not believe that Mr. Pahlavi can credibly represent the aspirations of all the peoples of Iran.

Awarding him a prize that purports to recognize the struggle for freedom would, in our view, overlook the experiences and sacrifices of millions who continue to seek genuine democracy, equality, and self-determination.

Our position should not be interpreted as an expression of grievance against the Persian people. Rather, it reflects our belief that the diverse nations and communities of Iran deserve representation that is inclusive, democratic, and respectful of their distinct identities and rights. We do not consider Mr. Pahlavi to be an appropriate representative of those aspirations, nor do we believe his record merits this distinction.

Honorable Mr. Saebisch, the Freedom Prize should be reserved for individuals whose actions demonstrate a sustained commitment to liberty, human dignity, democratic principles, and equal rights. Such recognition should be based on merit, sacrifice, and a proven record of advancing freedom, rather than on inherited political status, historical prominence, or political favoritism

We respectfully urge the Foundation to reconsider this nomination in light of these concerns. Should the Foundation wish to receive additional information or supporting references regarding the historical and political issues raised in this letter, we would be pleased to provide them.

Should the Friedrich Naumann Foundation decide to consider alternative candidates for this honor, we respectfully submit that the parents of Zhina (Jina) Amini would represent a more compelling choice.

Through their dignity, courage, and perseverance following their daughter’s death, they have become internationally recognized symbols of the struggle for human rights, justice, and freedom in Iran.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Ardishir Rashidi-Kalhur, the President of Kurdish American Education Society, Los Angeles, U.S.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

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