President Bafel to Piers Morgan: Weapons Referred to by U.S. President Were Not Stolen in Sulaymaniyah

PUKMEDIA

Bafel Jalal Talabani and Piers Morgan.

Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, dismissed allegations of Kurdish involvement in the  of weapons.

Addressing comments attributed to United States President Donald Trump on alleged weapons diversion, President Bafel said that if the claims were accurate, the behaviour described would be “absolutely shameful”.

He said: “I am sure those words did not come out of nowhere.” He continued: “It is one thing to think the tactic of using the Kurds as the bulwark of assaults was a bad idea, but it is a completely different thing to steal from your allies.”

He also highlighted the complexity of governance in the Kurdistan Region, describing it as “a tale of two cities” and adding: “We are kind of a country, but not a country.” And said that he can guarantee that no one “on the Sulaymaniyah side” stole the weapons. He stressed that he could not comment on matters outside his knowledge.

President Bafel also questioned the effectiveness of airstrikes against Iran, arguing that such tactics are counterproductive. “You cannot bomb people into loving you,” he said, adding: “I just do not believe it… I think the tactic is wrong, and it is having the adverse effect.”

He noted that reports from within Iran suggest civilian harm from strikes can reshape public opinion. “Every time a school is destroyed, every time a university is destroyed, every time a hospital is destroyed… that is not helpful,” he said.

He also said that rather than weakening the state, such actions may reinforce unity: “We have seen people who were demonstrating against the regime now saying, ‘We are not demonstrating for the regime, we are demonstrating for our country.’”

On the question of regime change through force, President Bafel expressed scepticism that military action could bring about meaningful political transformation.

President Bafel called for a more comprehensive diplomatic strategy from the United States that addresses multiple regional disputes together.

“I think instead of a small win, there could be the opportunity for a larger win,” he said, suggesting that negotiations should extend beyond the immediate conflict to include wider issues such as Palestine and Lebanon.

“If they went for a bigger deal… it would take more time, but the victory would be colossal,” he added.

Despite setbacks in recent diplomatic efforts, President Bafel remained hopeful about continued engagement between parties. “I am optimistic… that the Pakistanis are sending a team to Tehran very soon to continue the negotiations,” he said. He also noted that earlier discussions had produced “progress… on many of the smaller issues”.

He suggested flexibility in ceasefire arrangements, stating: “This ceasefire deadline is not written in stone… it is very easy to extend things.”

Lastly, President Bafel reiterated that military escalation is unlikely to resolve the crisis. “This is one of those conflicts that violence will not resolve,” he said. “My hope is that people will see sense.”


PUKMEDIA