Published TUESDAY June 16, 2026: 'Rebels With A Cause' by ZUMA Partner agency Le Pictorium photo-journalist Nicolas Cleuet: The Iranian Kurdish Peshmerga want to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran and replace it with a democratic state that grants them ethnic self-determination. While their Iraqi counterparts focus on protecting an already existing region, the Iranian Kurdish fighters want to fundamentally change Iran to achieve their goals. In the border mountains thousands of exiled Iranian Kurdish fighters rare massed in staging zones under constant threat of Iranian drone and missile strikes. Despite coordination with Western intelligence agencies and a newly forged cross-border coalition, Kurdish commanders are actively rejecting any premature ground advances or military escalations. They have firmly turned down heavy U.S. and Israeli pressure to open a northern combat front, choosing to stall deployment until ironclad guarantees of absolute Western air cover are secured to protect their forces from a dug-in Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Welcome to 'Rebels With A Cause'
© zReportage.com Issue #1045 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY June 16, 2026: 'Rebels With A Cause' by ZUMA Partner agency Le Pictorium photo-journalist Nicolas Cleuet: The Iranian Kurdish Peshmerga want to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran and replace it with a democratic state that grants them ethnic self-determination. While their Iraqi counterparts focus on protecting an already existing region, the Iranian Kurdish fighters want to fundamentally change Iran to achieve their goals. In the border mountains thousands of exiled Iranian Kurdish fighters rare massed in staging zones under constant threat of Iranian drone and missile strikes. Despite coordination with Western intelligence agencies and a newly forged cross-border coalition, Kurdish commanders are actively rejecting any premature ground advances or military escalations. They have firmly turned down heavy U.S. and Israeli pressure to open a northern combat front, choosing to stall deployment until ironclad guarantees of absolute Western air cover are secured to protect their forces from a dug-in Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Welcome to 'Rebels With A Cause'

Rebel fighter RARA, who was a 20-year-old student in England, joined the Communist Komala in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan at the start of the US strikes on Iran. Several Iranian Kurdish factions operate from Kurdistan Region of Iraq, these groups are under the constant threat of Iranian missiles and drones.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighters from the Communist Komala in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran. Founded underground in 1969 by Kurdish university students, the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan was created to advocate for Kurdish ethnic self-determination and socialist reforms against Iran's monarchy.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighter from the Communist Komala named SALIN, which means 'flower' wears a Keffiyeh scarf and stands proudly with her automatic rifle in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan near the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

ZARA, a Peshmerga fighter, wears Kurdish colors and a red socialist Komala Reza Kaabi lapel badge. In these mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran thousands of exiled Iranian Kurdish fighters are massed in staging zones under constant threat of Iranian drone and missile strikes.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighter AVIN a member of the the Communist Komala party stands with her AK47 in the mountainous border region of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

A Peshmerga fighters munitions belt and AK47 lays on a carpet in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighter BAHRUZ with the Communist Komala party stands and looks out a window at the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

The rugged and remote mountains of Kurdistan, where Iranian Peshmerga forces have taken refuge from drone strikes by Iran and Iraqi Shia militias. A group of Peshmerga fighters from the Komala-RB party call these mountains home.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

ALI and MOHAMMAD along with two other Peshmerga fighters with the rebel group aligned with the Komala-RB party, during a patrol in the remote mountain border region of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

RIBVAK, also known as 'DJ,' is known as the rebel fighters group best singer. These Peshmerga fighters from the Komala - Reza Kaabi party in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran live under the threat of Iranian regime missile and drone strikes.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

RAMI's Kalashnikov is wrapped in the Kurdish colors. Rami is a member of a group of Peshmerga fighters from the Komala-RB party in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighters BAHAH and ARWAN with the Komala-RB party met each other in the remote mountain camp and are planning to get married. Komala's rebel bases in northern Iraq have been frequent targets of Iranian regime missile and drone strikes.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighter SARIFA with the Communist Komala party has been in this remote region of Iraqi Kurdistan for 16 years, living with the rebels in the mountains on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighter ALI from the Komala-RB party stands proudly with his Kalashnikov in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Peshmerga fighters from the Komala -RB party, ALI and MAJID on patrol with the rebel group's star dog in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan on the border with Iran.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

A Peshmerga from the Komala-RB party patrols in the mountainous border region of Iraqi Kurdistan. Despite coordination with Western intelligence agencies and a newly forged cross-border coalition, Kurdish commanders are actively rejecting any premature ground advances or military escalations.
© Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press