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It has been suggested that this article be merged with Rebellions in Iranian Kurdistan. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2013.

Kurdish separatism in Iran
Part of Rebellions in Iranian Kurdistan
Date 1918–1922, 1946, 2004–2011/present Location Iran Result Cease fire: Simko's tribal revolts suppressed 1946 attempt to establish Republic of Mahabad failed Cease fire between Iran and PJAK established in September 2011, but violated several times
Belligerents
Imperial state of Iran Council of the Islamic Revolution Islamic Republic of Iran Army Revolutionary Guards Islamic Republican Party militia	Shikak tribesemen supported by: Ottomans Republic of Mahabad supported by:  Soviet Union PJAK
Commanders and leaders
Reza Shah Pahlavi Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi Ali Razmara Ali Khamenei Mohammad Ali Jafari	Simko Shikak Qazi Muhammad  Mustafa Barzani Ahmed Barzani Ja'far Pishevari Ahmad Kordary # Salahuddin Kazimov Haji Ahmadi Majid Kavian  † Murat Karasac  †
Casualties and losses
Total: ~7,500 casualties

Kurdish separatism in Iran refers to various unrelated events in modern Iranian history led by Kurdish individuals or organizations who have demanded separation from Iran. The earliest events sometimes described as separatist refer to revolts in today's West Azerbaijan Province prompted by aftermath of the two World Wars and direct foreign involvement. Insurrection lead by PJAK in Western Iran started in 21st century. The government of Iran has never employed the same level of brutality against its own Kurds as did Turkey or Iraq, but it has always been implacably opposed to any suggestion of Kurdish separatism. Unlike in other Kurdish-populated countries, there are strong ethnolinguistical and cultural ties between Kurds and Persians as Iranian peoples. Facts that Iran is not the product of imperial map-making and that Kurds share much of their history with the rest of Iran is seen as reason why Kurdish leaders in Iran do not want a separate Kurdish state. Also, large number of Kurds in Iran show no interest in Kurdish nationalism, especially Shia Kurds who even vigorously reject idea of autonomy, preferring direct rule from Tehran. Iranian national identity is questioned only in the peripheral Kurdish Sunni regions.

History

Simko's revolt (1918–1922)

Simko Shikak revolt refers to an armed Turkey-backed tribal Kurdish uprising against the Qajar dynasty of Iran from 1918-1922, led by Kurdish chieftain Simko Shikak from Turcophone Shekak tribe. This tribal rebellion is sometimes regarded as first major bid for establishing independent Kurdistan in Iran, but scholars see revolt as attempt by a powerful tribal chief to establish his personal authority vis-à-vis the central government throughout the region. Although elements of Kurdish nationalism were present in this movement, historians agree these were hardly articulate enough to justify a claim that recognition of Kurdish identity was a major issue in Simko's movement, and he had to rely heavily on conventional tribal motives. It lacked any kind of administrative organization and Simko was primary interesting in plunder. Government forces and non-Kurds were not the only ones to suffer in the attacks, the Kurdish population was also robbed and assaulted. Simko's men do not appear to have felt any sense of unity or solidarity with fellow Kurds. Historian Ervand Abrahamian calls Simko as "notorious" for massacring thousands Assyrians and harassing democrats, and Mehrdad Izady holds him responsible for killing Alevite Kurds. Still, Kurdish ethnicists today revere Simko as a "hero of independence".

Iran crisis of 1946

The danger of fragmentation in modern Iran became evident shortly after Second World War when Soviet Union's refused to relinquish occupied North Western Iranian territory. Iran crisis of 1946 included a separatist attempt of KDP-I and communist groups to establish the Soviet puppet government called Republic of Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan (today's southern part of West Azerbaijan Province). It arose along with Azerbaijan People's Government, another Soviet puppet state. The state itself encompassed a very small territory, including Mahabad and the adjacent cities, unable to incorporate the southern Iranian Kurdistan which fell inside the Anglo-American zone, and unable to attract the tribes outside Mahabad itself to the nationalist cause. As a result, when the Soviets withdrew from Iran in December 1946, government forces were able to enter Mahabad unopposed. Several Marxist insurgencies continuted for decades led by KDP-I and Komala, but those two organization have never advocated a separate Kurdish state or greater Kurdistan as did the PKK in Turkey.

PJAK insurrection

Iran–PJAK conflict is a recent rebellion of PJAK in which hundreds Kurdish militants and Iranian forces and civilians have died, officially lasting since April 2004 until 2011. PJAK is based in the border area with Iraqi Kurdistan and is affiliated with the Marxist PKK from Turkey. Although sometimes described as organization demanding more human rights for Kurds in Iran, it has been regarded as separatist by Iranian media and various Western analysts. In one of the first actions of the Obama administration, PJAK was declared a terrorist organization. According to some analysts, PJAK do not pose any serious threat to the government of Iran. The activities of PJAK ended, following the 2011 Iranian offensive on PJAK bases and the consequent cease-fire, established on September 2011. A number of clashes between PJAK and IRGC took place after cease-fire.

See also

• Iranian Kurdistan
• Kurdish people
• List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
• Kurdish–Turkish conflict

References

1. ^ Habeeb, William Mark; Frankel, Rafael D.; Al-Oraibi, Mina (2012). The Middle East in Turmoil: Conflict, Revolution, and Change. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 46. ISBN 9780313339141. OCLC 753913763.
2. ^ Kreyenbroek, Philip G.; Sperl, Stefan (1992). The Kurds: A Contemporary Overview. London; New York: Routledge. pp. 17–19. ISBN 9780415072656. OCLC 24247652.
3. ^ Abrahamian, Ervand (2008). A History of Modern Iran. Cambridge, U.K.; New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 195. ISBN 9780521528917. OCLC 171111098.
4. ^ Kreyenbroek, Philip G.; Sperl, Stefan (1992). The Kurds: A Contemporary Overview. London; New York: Routledge. pp. 138–141. ISBN 9780415072656. OCLC 24247652.
5. ^ Romano, David (2006). The Kurdish Nationalist Movement: Opportunity, Mobilization and Identity. Cambridge Middle East studies, 22. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 240. ISBN 9780521850414. OCLC 61425259.
6. Bruinessen, Martin (2006). "Chapter 5: A Kurdish warlord on the Turkish-Persian frontier in the early Twentieth century: Isma'il Aqa Simko". In Atabaki, Touraj (ed.). Iran and the First World War: Battleground of the Great Powers. Library of modern Middle East studies, 43. London; New York: I.B. Tauris. pp. 18–21. ISBN 9781860649646. OCLC 56455579. {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
7. Allen, William Edward David; Muratoff, Paul (1953). Caucasian battlefields: A History of the Wars on the Turco-Caucasian border, 1828-1921. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 296. OCLC 1102813.
8. Oberling, Pierre (20 July 2004). "Kurdish Tribes". Encyclopædia Iranica. New York. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
9. ^ Entessar, Nader (2010). Kurdish Politics in the Middle East. Lanham: Lexington Books. p. 17. ISBN 9780739140390. OCLC 430736528.
10. Abrahamian, Ervand (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 115. ISBN 9780691053424. OCLC 7975938.
11. Izady, Mehrdad (1992). The Kurds: A Concise Handbook. Washington: Crane Russak. p. 58. ISBN 9780844817293. OCLC 25409394.
12. ^ Elling, Rasmus Christian (2013). Minorities in Iran: Nationalism and Ethnicity after Khomeini. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 312. ISBN 9780230115842. OCLC 714725127.
13. Zabih, Sepehr (December 15, 1992). Communism ii.. in Encyclopædia Iranica. New York: Columbia University
14. Romano, David (2006). The Kurdish Nationalist Movement: Opportunity, Mobilization and Identity. Cambridge Middle East studies, 22. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 227. ISBN 9780521850414. OCLC 61425259.
15. Chelkowski, Peter J.; Pranger, Robert J. (1988). Ideology and Power in the Middle East: Studies in Honor of George Lenczowski. Durham: Duke University Press. p. 399. ISBN 9780822307815. OCLC 16923212.
16. Abrahamian, Ervand (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. pp. 217–218. ISBN 9780691053424. OCLC 7975938.
17. Chubin, Shahram; Zabih, Sepehr (1974). The Foreign Relations of Iran: A Developing State in a Zone of Great-Power Conflict. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 39–41, 178. ISBN 9780520026834. OCLC 1219525.
18. Abrahamian, Ervand (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 453. ISBN 9780691053424. OCLC 7975938.
19. Yodfat, Aryeh (1984). The Soviet Union and Revolutionary Iran. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9780312749101. OCLC 9282694.
20. ^ Katzman, Kenneth (2009). Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security. New York: Nova Science Publishers. p. 32. ISBN 9781614701163. OCLC 756496931.
21. ^ Lovelace, Douglas C. (2009). Terrorism: Documents of International and Local Control. Vol. 110. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 445. ISBN 9780195398151. OCLC 693185463.

• Articles to be merged from September 2013
• History of the Kurdish people
• Iranian Civil Wars
• History of West Azerbaijan Province
• Secession in Iran
• Kurdish protests and rebellions