Could an Alliance Between Kurds and Baluchis Challenge the Iranian Regime?

The death of Jina Amini — widely referred to by her imposed Persian name Mahsa in Persian and non-Persian mainstream media — two years ago ignited a wave of protests in Seqizz, Eastern Kurdistan, that spread across Iran.

While Western media outlets depicted subsequent Iranian repression as a more generalised phenomenon, its primary victims have been ethnic Kurds and Baluchis, hundreds of whom were killed by the regime. Many protesters suffered severe injuries, including those blinded by gunshots. Security forces arrested thousands, subjected many to rape, and others died under torture.

For the Kurdish and Baluchi people, this uprising was not an isolated event but part of a larger historical struggle against the Iranian regime. Neither the United States nor Europe should ignore these two peoples when dealing with Iran.

The subjugation of nationalities in Iran has deep roots. During his rule, Reza Pahlavi — who reigned between 1925 and 1941 — sought to both ensure Persian cultural and linguistic hegemony and suppress and assimilate non-Persian national and ethnic groups, such as the Baluchis, Kurds, Qashqais, Armenians, Azeris, Arabs, Turkmens, Gilaks, Tabaris and Talyshis. He undermined their distinct identities and forced subservience to the centralised Iranian state that, even prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, fused its national identity with Shi’sim.

This suppression continued through the revolution but has reached unprecedented levels today — with the regime using executions and state violence to maintain control.

Repression highlights fear. The regime knows that non-Persian nationalities, like the Kurds and Baluchis, have the potential to unite and form an alliance. This unity between the two peoples is one of the most significant outcomes of the Jina Revolution, expressed by the Kurdish slogan Jin, Jiyan, Azadî. While Kurdish and Baluchi movements have often operated in isolation, mutual experiences of state violence and repression could create a foundation for deeper cooperation.

Moral support between the two groups is nothing new, but a more tangible alliance between Eastern Kurdistan and Baluchistan (divided among Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan) could represent a new chapter in the struggle against the Iranian regime’s oppressive policies. This emerging unity has the potential to shift the balance of power and bring new hope to all of Iran’s nationalities, paving the way for a future built on recognition, equality and justice for all minorities within the Iranian state. By sharing their strategies and uniting their causes, they can build a more formidable front against the Iranian regime.

Meanwhile, the Iranian opposition abroad has failed to represent the interests of these national minorities, often prioritising the preservation of Iran’s territorial integrity over the recognition of minority rights. In many cases, the exiled opposition has echoed the regime’s policies rather than championing the cause of the oppressed. The infiltration of the opposition by the regime’s security apparatus, to say nothing of their internal rivalries and organisational incapacity, have only served to further isolate those who suffered the most under the current regime.

Arguably, the Iran policies of both the United States and Europe have failed for 45 years. For too long, the conversation has focused only on Iran’s nuclear program, regional influence and geopolitical manoeuvring. The human rights of national and ethnic minorities within Iran have never been central to these discussions.

Over the past few decades, US administrations have largely overlooked the plight of Kurds and Baluchis in their diplomatic efforts with Iran. These voices have been silenced or ignored in international forums, even as their communities have suffered from severe human rights abuses. It is time for a shift in focus, recognising the legitimate aspirations of these peoples for self-determination and cultural preservation.

The alliance between the Kurds and Baluchis represents a crucial step toward challenging the regime from within, and the international community must support their struggle for justice, equality and recognition.

Rather than repeating past policies and expecting different results, Washington might take meaningful steps to engage with Kurds and Baluchis and end their exclusion from international forums. By accepting Kurds and Baluchis in Washington, the United States can gain deeper understanding of the complex mosaic that makes up Iran’s geography and demographics, and the unique challenges faced by its oppressed minorities.

These national minorities, who have borne the brunt of the regime’s oppression, deserve international support and recognition.

Published originally under the title “Two Years After the Death of Jina Amini, Could an Alliance Between the Kurds and Baluch Challenge the Iranian Regime?”