Trump says US armed Iranian protesters via Kurdish intermediaries — claims denied by Kurdish groups

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President Donald Trump has said the United States attempted to covertly arm Iranian protesters through Kurdish intermediaries in the weeks before the US-Israel war on Iran was launched, even as Washington was engaged in talks with Tehran. The remarks, made in a phone interview with Fox News, have drawn immediate denials from Iranian Kurdish opposition groups and reignited debate over the nature of the protests that swept Iran in December and January.

Coverage comparison

Al Jazeera reported extensively on Trump's statements, noting that the president claimed "We sent guns to the protesters, a lot of them," and that he believed the Kurds kept the guns for themselves. The network also reported that Trump claimed Iran "slaughtered" some 45,000 civilians during the protests — a figure that could not be independently verified.

Two separate Al Jazeera reports covered the same story, with one focusing on the details of Trump's interview and the other providing broader context about the protests and the subsequent war. Both reports noted that the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, weeks after the protests erupted over economic grievances.

Key claims

US arming of protesters: Trump said via Fox News that the US sent guns to Iranian protesters through Kurdish intermediaries. He added that he believed the Kurds kept the weapons for themselves. This claim has been denied by Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, who say they did not receive weapons from the US.

Casualty figures: Iranian authorities say 3,117 people were killed during the weeks of protests. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 6,872 verified deaths and more than 11,000 additional cases under investigation. Trump claimed Iran "slaughtered" 45,000 civilians, a figure not independently verified.

Protests' origin: Protests began on December 28 among shopkeepers in downtown Tehran angered by a deepening economic crisis and the falling value of the Iranian rial. Iranian authorities have described the protesters as "rioters," "saboteurs," and "terrorists," and have rejected allegations that state forces were responsible for civilian deaths.

Kurdish dimension: The CIA has a history of working with Kurdish groups in neighbouring Iraq, which may explain why Trump mentioned Kurdish intermediaries. However, the specific Kurdish groups alleged to have received weapons have denied any such involvement.

Perspectives

US perspective: Trump has often framed the decision to strike Iran as partly inspired by a desire to "free" Iranians from the rule of the Islamic Republic. His comments to Fox News suggest a deliberate effort to support protesters, even as the US was engaged in negotiations with Tehran.

Iranian perspective: Tehran has long asserted that the protests were not organic but instigated by "foreign-backed terrorists." Trump's admission, if accurate, would lend weight to that claim, though Iranian officials have also faced domestic criticism over their handling of the protests.

Kurdish groups' perspective: Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have denied receiving weapons from the US. Some analysts note that Trump's shifting statements on Iran make it difficult to determine the extent of actual US involvement, and that the denial suggests either the claim is false or the weapons were delivered through other channels.

Human rights perspective: Rights groups have documented widespread casualties and called for accountability. The discrepancy between official Iranian figures and those from independent monitors underscores the difficulty of obtaining reliable information during a crackdown and an active war.

Analysis

Trump's statements, while not official admissions of policy, could have significant diplomatic and legal implications. If the US did arm protesters in a third country, it would represent a covert action that might violate international norms or legal restrictions. However, the denials from Kurdish groups and the lack of independent verification mean the story remains in the realm of presidential assertions rather than confirmed fact.

The timing is notable: the alleged arming occurred while the US was reportedly negotiating with Iran in Europe, suggesting a dual-track approach of engagement and subversion. Whether such a strategy was effective or coherent remains an open question, as the protests ultimately did not topple the government, and the subsequent war has brought heavy casualties on both sides.

As the war continues and the toll mounts, the debate over how the protests began — and what role external actors played — is likely to remain a central point of contention between Washington and Tehran.