ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - A new coalition of five Iranian Kurdish opposition parties has no relations with Washington and is open to negotiating with any party that “recognizes the will and existence” of the Kurds, the co-chair of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK) told The New Region in an interview.

Five Kurdish opposition parties from western Iran (Rojhelat) on Sunday announced the formation of a joint coalition called the “Alliance of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan,” marking a significant step towards a unified Kurdish opposition in Iran.

The parties include PJAK, the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), Organization of Iranian Kurdistan Struggle (Khabat), and the Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan.

The primary objectives of the alliance are “the struggle to bring down the Islamic Republic of Iran, the realization of the Kurdish people's right to self-determination, and the establishment of a national and democratic institution based on the political will of the Kurdish nation in Eastern Kurdistan,” the parties said following the signing ceremony.

PJAK co-chair Peyman Viyan was present as one of five signatories at the ceremony where the coalition was announced.

The following is the transcript of The New Region’s interview with PJAK co-chair Peyman Viyan:

Did you receive any external support for this new Kurdish alliance of Rojhelat [western Iran]?

We have been working on the unification of Kurdish parties for a long time; this work is one of our strategic efforts. Every party has developed efforts within this framework, and we, as PJAK, have continuously carried out efforts and struggled for the unification of the parties. In order for these efforts of the parties to reach a more successful conclusion and for practical steps to develop, working mechanisms were formed. One of those mechanisms, with the participation of all parties, was the establishment of the dialogue center. It has been eight months since the dialogue center was formed between seven parties. Strong work and negotiations took place, and often joint activities were planned and carried out. As a result of these efforts, a political alliance was formed between the political parties of Eastern Kurdistan. This step and development were not promoted with the support of any external power. This work was realized based on the necessity of the time and national duty, with the will of all parties. It is a strategic and long-term work; at the same time, it is the plan and project of the parties to bring the demands of our people in Eastern Kurdistan to success. We can say it is a historical step, a new stage of the struggle. This alliance is the unification of the power of the Kurdish people in Eastern Kurdistan.

Do you have a relationship or negotiation with America? Are they, or perhaps Israel, ready to support you?

In order to solve the problem of the Kurdish people in Eastern Kurdistan in a democratic process, we are ready to negotiate with everyone. Every negotiation of ours is in the service and freedom of our people. Any person or power that recognizes the will and existence of our people and shows respect, we are ready to be in contact with them. We see from the experiences of the wars occurring in the Middle East that the politics of external powers do not serve the people and are only in the interest of their own authority. Because of that self-interested politics, the people of the region, and especially the people of Kurdistan, experienced very heavy suffering. On this basis, as much as we are open to relationships, we also act with measures and sensitivity. Regarding powers like America and Israel, we have no relations until now.

The son of the Shah, Reza Pahlavi, has been able to gain more support in the last year; how do you see him?

As I said, any power and opposition that struggles for a democratic policy, a democratic and free Iran, we are ready to negotiate with them. As we observe, Reza Pahlavi does not have a democratic mindset. He has no plan or project different from the system of authority of the Iranian regime. In many evaluations and views of Reza Pahlavi, it is clear that his plan is also within the framework of a nationalist and sexist mindset. The people who struggle against the nationalist, sexist, and religious mentality of the Iranian regime and sacrifice their lives cannot accept another power with the same mentality to lead them or accept them as the administration of the country. Although a very small portion appears as supporters of Reza Shah, the truth is that there is no very strong support for him within Iranian society. Often, when Pahlavi tries to evaluate a subject, with the propaganda he makes, he divides the power of the people and creates serious doubts for the oppressed nations of Iran; at the same time, this becomes a reason for cooling among the people. There is a history of the father and grandfather of Reza Pahlavi in Iran; if he also acts with the same mindset, there are few people who would accept it. No one will accept another dictator to lead them if they do not deem themselves as forced to do so. The people of Iran are experienced and practiced; the level of awareness of the people is very high. For that reason, they know how and with which power and personality to act and take part. The people need support, and this is true, but any power that imposes its mindset on the will of the people, the people will not accept it.

In the joint statement, the alliance says they are ready to work with other groups; does this also include Reza Pahlavi?

In the text of the alliance, it is clearly stated that any power that has a democratic mindset, possesses a plan and project for Eastern Kurdistan and Iran, and they are also ready to be in negotiations with those powers and work with them. One of the duties of the alliance is to create and develop strong relationships on the basis of a democratic solution to the problem of the Kurdish people and the peoples of Iran. The alliance is open to dialogue and wants to do joint work.

In the joint statement, you mention self-administration; will you work for an independent Iranian Kurdistan, autonomy, or federalism?

In our view, and according to modern norms, self-administration with a suitable formula and according to the terms and conditions of the peoples of Iran is the right of all peoples, and the Kurdish people are one of those peoples. A people that can stand up for its political will can govern itself. We call this self-administration. No person or power comes from the outside to govern the people. Our goal is to determine the fate of the Kurdish people in a democratic country and to make the status of the Kurdish people accepted. Our goal is the establishment of a democratic Iran. As the Kurdish people, we will struggle for a democratic Iran with our free will. Iran is a multi-national and multi-cultural country; for everyone to respect each other's will, there is a need for a democratic policy and system, and for every nation to protect its political will and have its own democratic administration. For a democratic Iran, a joint democratic administration is necessary. We do not cut Eastern Kurdistan off from Iran; we say let the identity of the Kurdish people and democratic self-administration be protected within a democratic Iran. Let there be cultural, vital, social, and economic rights, mother tongue, etc., in a just way. This will also be the guarantee of stability, peace, living together, and the integrity of the country. This is a fundamental issue; if it is not solved, it is difficult for us to say that stability and peace will occur. We must not allow the energy of the country to go toward problems like preventing the rights of the people; those issues must be solved so that the energy of society enters the channel of economically vital, scientific, cultural, and human developments. This is a fundamental issue.

Do you also aim to work with the Kurdish diaspora?

A good number of our people from Eastern Kurdistan live in the diaspora because of the oppression of the Iranian regime. They have paid many prices, but they have not taken a step back from their struggle. Their demand is to return to their country once again and live within a free and democratic system. We saw that the most support for the unification of the Kurdish parties of Eastern Kurdistan existed among our people in the diaspora. One of our main works will also be with the Kurds in the diaspora.