The White House has denied reports that US President Donald Trump approved a plan to arm Kurdish groups in the region with the aim of triggering an uprising inside Iran.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt described the reports as “completely false”.
Leavitt said Trump had held telephone conversations with several partners and regional leaders in the Middle East, including Kurdish leaders, but stressed that the discussions were focused on issues related to US bases in northern Iraq.
“However, the reports claiming that the president approved such a plan are completely false and should not be written in this way,” she said.
The denial follows media reports suggesting Washington was considering supporting Kurdish opposition groups in Iran.
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The Wall Street Journal cited US officials as saying that Trump was open to backing groups willing to arm themselves with the aim of overthrowing the Iranian government. According to those reports, such groups could potentially evolve into a US-supported ground force operating inside Iran.
Meanwhile, CNN, citing US sources, reported that the Central Intelligence Agency had explored the possibility of providing weapons to Kurdish opposition factions in Iran in order to encourage a popular uprising.
The White House statement appeared intended to distance the administration from those claims amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
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