One Kurdish Peace Deal Could Ignite Another Middle Eastern Conflict
Norway's Gas Production Plunges 12.6% as Europe Heads into Winter James D.
Durso is the Managing Director of Corsair LLC, a supply chain consultancy.
In 2013 to2015, he was the Chief Executive Officer of AKM… In October 2025, the PKK (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, Kurdistan Workers' Party) announced it waswithdrawing its fightersfrom Türkiye to northern Iraq as part of a peace effort with Ankara after four decades of hostilities.
The statement said all PKK forces in Türkiye were being pulled back to northern Iraq "to avoid clashes or provocations." This followed the group's May 2025 decision to dissolve and a July ceremony where fighters burned their weapons.
In late 2025 the PKK also said it had pulled out of the Zap border area in northern Iraq.
By May 2026,Reutersreportedthat Türkiye's attempt to end the conflict had stalled, with both sides waiting for the other to act and the U.S.-Israel war on Iran complicating matters.
Ankara said the PKK must fully disarm before laws can be enacted to protect or integrate former militants.
PKK leaders said the group had "fulfilled its part beyond expectations." In August 2026, the peace process law waspublished inTürkiye's Official Gazette and took effect, marking a step forward.
After the PKKannounced its dissolution, some observers expected that some of its fighters might transfer to its Iranian branch, the PJAK (Partiya Jiyana Azad a Kurdistanê, Free Life Party of Kurdistan).
PJAK issued conflicting statements, on the one hand lauding the PKK’s decision, “This is the right path…” then a week later declaring the group “will neither lay down arms nor dissolve ourselves.” PJAK is already themost activeIranian Kurdish group, accounting for an estimated 70 percent of confirmed attacks by Iranian Kurdish opposition groups since 2014, though PJAK and Irannegotiated a ceasefirein 2011.
In January 2026, however, armed Kurdish groups attempted tocross into Iranfrom Iraq.Related: Saudi Arabia and Asia Locked In Dispute Over 2027 Term Oil Deals TheCoalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistanreportedly has only 2,500 to 10,000 lightly armed fighters, so reinforcements could matter.
Even so, these groups may have limited capacity to topple the Iranian regime alone, partly because of rifts between leftist groups such as PJAK and nationalist ones such as the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, as well as between groups tied to different Iraqi Kurdish political parties.
| Product | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Brent Crude | $102.14/bbl | +0.34% |
| WTI Crude | $96.90/bbl | +0.21% |
| EN590 Diesel | $846/MT | +0.18% |
| Jet Fuel A-1 | $1090/MT | +0.55% |
| Mazut M100 | $450/MT | -0.15% |
| Bitumen 60/70 | $470/MT | +0.08% |
| Sulphur Gran 99.5% | $470/MT | -0.44% |
| Urea 46% Gran | $650/MT | +1.12% |
| NPK 16-16-16 | $460/MT | -0.28% |
| Nat Gas TTF | $15.42/MMBtu | +0.92% |
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