KURDISTAN, IRAQ AND THE REGIONAL PLAYERS

The Kurds are on the front line in the fight against the „Islamic State“ in Iraq. The war has given regional powers such as Iran and Turkey more room for manoeuvre for interventions, which the Kurdish regional government in Erbil has to deal with. However, the political conflict with the Iraqi central government in Baghdad also remains a constant challenge for Kurdistan. In addition, there are internal Kurdish fault lines within Iraqi Kurdistan and with Kurdish actors in Turkey, Iran and Syria.

Clarisse Pasztory, European External Action Service, Brussels.

Moderation Gudrun Harrer, Senior Editor, Der Standard; she teaches Modern History and Politics of the Near and Middle East at the University of Vienna and at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.