Sykes-Picot and the Division of Kurdistan | Kurdish History
How the Sykes-Picot Agreement treated Kurdish lands as imperial zones, not a homeland, and why it still matters in Kurdish history today.
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Treaties
Articles filed under Treaties.
The US-KRG Memorandum of Understanding (2016): The First Formal Military Pact Between America and the Kurds
The 2016 US-KRG Memorandum of Understanding was the first formal bilateral military agreement between the US and the Kurdistan Region, recognising the Peshmerga as security partners.
Read article →The Erbil-Baghdad Oil and Military Deal (2014): Unity Against ISIS, Division Over Oil
The 2014 Erbil-Baghdad Oil Deal traded 550,000 bpd of Kurdish oil for 17% of Iraq’s budget and $1 billion Peshmerga funding during the ISIS crisis. It ultimately collapsed.
Read article →The Iraqi Constitution (2005): The Legal Foundation of Kurdish Autonomy
The 2005 Iraqi Constitution recognised the Kurdistan Region as a federal entity with its own government, language, and Peshmerga. Article 140 on Kirkuk was never implemented.
Read article →The Washington Agreement (1998): The Peace That Ended the Kurdish Civil War
The Washington Agreement (1998) ended the Kurdish civil war between the KDP and PUK. Brokered by the US, it created a power-sharing deal that stabilised Kurdistan but entrenched division.
Read article →The Oil-for-Food Programme Agreement (1996): The 13 Percent That Saved Kurdish Autonomy
The Oil-for-Food Programme (1996) allocated 13 percent of Iraqi oil revenue to the Kurdish north, administered by the UN. It was the economic lifeline that sustained Kurdish autonomy.
Read article →The Iraqi-Kurdish Autonomy Negotiations (1991): From Uprising to Self-Governance
The 1991 Iraqi-Kurdish autonomy negotiations followed the largest Kurdish uprising in history. When talks with Baghdad collapsed, the Kurds held free elections and established the KRG.
Read article →The Algiers Agreement (1975): The Day the World Abandoned the Kurds
The 1975 Algiers Agreement between Iraq and Iran ended the Kurdish rebellion overnight. Iran and the US abandoned the Kurds, 1,400 villages were razed, and Barzani died in exile.
Read article →The Kurdish-Iraqi Autonomy Agreement (1970): The Promise Saddam Made and Broke
The 1970 Kurdish-Iraqi Autonomy Agreement promised Kurdish self-governance, language rights, and Kirkuk. Saddam Hussein betrayed every term, triggering war and decades of suffering.
Read article →The Baghdad Pact (1955): Cold War Alliance, Kurdish Containment
The Baghdad Pact (1955) united Turkey, Iraq, and Iran in a Cold War military alliance that gave Western backing to the suppression of Kurdish national movements.
Read article →The Qavam-Sadchikov Agreement (1946): The Oil Deal That Destroyed the Republic of Mahabad
The Qavam-Sadchikov Agreement (1946) traded Soviet withdrawal from Iran for oil rights — sealing the fate of the Republic of Mahabad, the only independent Kurdish republic in history.
Read article →The Treaty of Saadabad (1937): When the States That Divided Kurdistan United Against the Kurds
The Treaty of Saadabad (1937) united Turkey, Iran, and Iraq in a pact of non-aggression and non-interference — enabling each state to suppress its Kurdish population without interference.
Read article →The Treaty of Ankara (1926): When Kurdistan Was Sold for Oil
The Treaty of Ankara (1926) awarded the Kurdish-majority Mosul vilayet to Iraq for oil royalties, finalising the division of northern and southern Kurdistan.
Read article →The Treaty of Lausanne (1923): The Treaty That Erased Kurdistan from the Map
The Treaty of Lausanne (1923) erased Kurdistan from international law, replacing Sèvres’ promise of Kurdish autonomy with total silence. It sealed the four-part partition that persists today.
Read article →The Joint British-Iraqi Declaration (1922): The Christmas Promise of Kurdish Autonomy That Was Never Kept
The Joint British-Iraqi Declaration (1922) was the first recognition of Kurdish autonomy in Iraq. Known as the Christmas Declaration, it was never honoured — yet its principle endures.
Read article →The Treaty of Sèvres (1920): The Promise of Kurdistan That Was Never Kept
The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) was the only international treaty to recognise Kurdish self-determination. Articles 62-64 promised autonomy and a path to independence — but were never implemented.
Read article →The Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity (1919): When Two Peoples Chose Coexistence Over Conflict
In 1919, Kurdish and Armenian leaders signed a joint declaration at Paris calling for independent statehood for both peoples. Explore this historic act of solidarity.
Read article →The Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916): The Secret Pact That Completed Kurdistan’s Partition
The Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) secretly divided Ottoman Kurdish lands between Britain and France, completing the four-part partition of Kurdistan that persists today.
Read article →The Second Treaty of Erzurum (1847): When European Powers Drew a Line Through Kurdistan
The Second Treaty of Erzurum (1847) drew a precise border through Kurdistan under British and Russian mediation — transforming Kurdish partition into international law.
Read article →The First Treaty of Erzurum (1823): When Empires Fought Over Kurdish Tribes — Without Asking the Kurds
The First Treaty of Erzurum (1823) reaffirmed Kurdistan’s partition between Ottoman and Persian empires, with Kurdish tribes treated as subjects, not political actors.
Read article →The Treaty of Zuhab (1639): The Treaty That Made Kurdistan’s Partition Permanent
The Treaty of Zuhab (1639) permanently divided Kurdistan between the Ottoman and Safavid empires. Its borders still define Turkey, Iraq, and Iran today.
Read article →The Peace of Amasya (1555): The Treaty That Tore Kurdistan in Half
The Peace of Amasya (1555) was the first formal partition of Kurdistan, splitting the Kurdish homeland between the Ottoman and Safavid empires without Kurdish consent.
Read article →The Chaldiran Agreement (1514): When Kurdish Princes Allied with the Ottomans — and Were Betrayed
In 1514, Kurdish emirs allied with Ottoman Sultan Selim I at Chaldiran in exchange for autonomy. Explore this pivotal and ultimately betrayed Kurdish agreement.
Read article →The Treaty of Jaffa (1229): When Saladin’s Grandson Traded Jerusalem for Strategic Advantage
In 1229, Saladin’s grandson al-Kamil negotiated Jerusalem’s peaceful transfer to Frederick II. Explore this masterful act of Kurdish-descended Ayyubid diplomacy.
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