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Akbar Novruz

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An all-female combat unit of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) says it is preparing for potential confrontation with Iran, according to the group’s commanders, AzerNEWS reports.

PAK, a Kurdish-Iranian armed organization operating in exile in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, has long opposed the government of the Iran. The group maintains bases in northern Iraq near the Iranian border.

During the January unrest in Iran, referred to by Kurdish groups as an uprising, PAK claimed it carried out attacks against Iranian security forces. In response, Tehran launched drone and missile strikes targeting several Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraq, accusing them of fomenting instability inside Iran.

PAK commanders now say they are preparing for a broader confrontation, should renewed civil unrest erupt in Iran or in the event of a potential external military escalation involving the United States.

Iran has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate cross-border militant activity and has previously conducted operations against Kurdish armed factions it considers terrorist organizations. Kurdish groups, for their part, argue they are resisting political repression and defending minority rights.

There has been no official indication of imminent large-scale escalation, but regional tensions remain elevated amid ongoing security concerns along the Iran-Iraq border.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said nuclear talks with the United States have produced “encouraging signals”, but warned that Tehran is prepared for any scenario in advance of another round of negotiations set for Thursday.

His comments on Sunday came amid mounting fears of a military conflict, with Washington building up its military presence in the Gulf and US President Donald Trump warning of “really bad things” if no deal is reached on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

“Iran is committed to peace and stability in the region,” Pezeshkian wrote on X.

“Recent negotiations involved the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor US actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario,” he said.

The cautious optimism came after Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed a third round of indirect talks between the two sides in Geneva, Switzerland.

“Pleased to confirm US-Iran negotiations are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalising the deal,” said al-Busaidi, who acts as a mediator in indirect talks between Washington and Tehran.