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Say Hitler takes the Mediterranean route, and/or Turkey and/or Iran join the Axis. The Vichy French are already in Lebanon and Syria. Iraq experienced a pro-German rebellion at the time. So say the Middle East is in Axis hands.

Here's a proposal from Shattered World, where all of this more or less happens.

- Bobby, are you going to pull the Kurd card?

It is a tactical option if you want to weaken Turkey and Iran (mostly the latter), or a strategic option if the AFD is in deep trouble.

The Kurds tried for several times to rebel and in OTL they even tried around this time.
Given the fact that the Kurds represent 20% or so of Turkey's population and a sizeable chunk of the remaining Iran, a binding agreement (with Kurdish leaders -the Iraqi Kurds for example) of an independent state for the Kurds would make them rebel and keep occupied a good portion of Turkey troops back home, making more difficult to supply Iran, and, if the kurds are well supplied, even reducing axis-controlled Turkish territory.

I'm considering the lower case scenario, involving Turkish Kurdistan, but the Shah could also be convinced to give Persian Kurdistan independence too, in exchange for a greater deal of help.
Syria doesn't enter in this equation since it´s part of a Free France, a (for the time being) neutral country (an allied-leaning non-belligerant country to be more precise).

In the British War Cabinet, at least someone would be itching to pull this option, in case the Turks can't be convinced to Switch sides to AFD or going neutral.

Regarding the Kurds. Note that they did help the British in Iraq, and were granted a semi-autonomous status as a reward. A British-backed Kurdish rebellion in Turkey is certainly possible, and some Kurdish groups would already be active in this arena with or without British support.
Britain would prefer to have Turkey switch sides, so it isn't ready to openly support a Kurdish rebellion yet.

Is any of this feasible?
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