The CIA is working to arm Kurdish opposition forces based near the Iraq-Iran border with the goal of triggering a popular uprising across Iran, according to multiple people familiar with the plan. The effort comes as the United States and Israel conduct strikes against Iranian targets following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top officials last weekend.

Sources described discussions between U.S. officials and Iranian Kurdish militias operating from Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdistan region. The groups have requested CIA assistance to supply weapons and are preparing for potential ground operations in western Iran. The strategy envisions Kurdish fighters engaging Iranian security forces to weaken the regime's military resources and create opportunities for unarmed protesters to rise up in Iranian cities.

President Donald Trump spoke by phone Tuesday with Mustafa Hijri, president of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), one of the targeted groups. He also contacted Iraqi Kurdish leaders on Sunday to discuss coordination amid the conflict. A senior Iranian Kurdish official expressed optimism, stating, “We believe we have a big chance now,” as the militias eye support from the U.S. and Israel.

The plan unfolds against a backdrop of intensified hostilities. U.S. and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury, killing Khamenei and dozens of aides on Saturday. Khamenei's son was reportedly elected successor days later. Iran has retaliated with drone strikes, including against Kurdish positions, and missile attacks that killed six U.S. service members and wounded others. The death toll inside Iran has reached 787, including civilians.

Kurds comprise 8% to 17% of Iran's population and have long faced repression, accounting for a disproportionate share of executions and detentions. Groups like KDPI formed a coalition in February for self-determination and joint operations. They have conducted strikes in dozens of cities and borne the brunt of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps assaults.

The CIA declined to comment on the reports. The White House, Pentagon, and Kurdistan Regional Government did not immediately respond to requests. Analysts noted the U.S. appears intent on accelerating regime change by leveraging historic Kurdish allies, who cooperated against ISIS.

Potential risks include fueling separatist movements among Iran's Baluch minority and straining ties with Turkey, which opposes arming border Kurds. Some Iranian opposition figures, including exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, criticized the approach as promoting division over unified change.