TEHRAN – Iran has praised the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) announcement to disarm and dissolve its organization, calling the move a meaningful stride toward reducing violence and enhancing security in Turkey and across the region.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei issued a statement on Tuesday welcoming the PKK’s decision, saying it represents a turning point in efforts to resolve decades of armed conflict. “We view this development as a step in favor of peace and stability, both within Turkey and the wider region,” Baghaei said, expressing hope that the full implementation of the PKK’s declaration will lead to lasting calm.

The PKK made the announcement following its 12th congress held last Friday in northern Iraq. In a statement released Monday, the group declared an end to all operations carried out in its name, effectively signaling the conclusion of its armed campaign against the Turkish state. The congress was reportedly marked by what the group described as “historic decisions” that could reshape the future of Kurdish-Turkish relations.

According to the Firat News Agency, a media outlet closely aligned with the group, the congress included a message from PKK founder and jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. In his message, Ocalan called on the organization to abandon armed struggle and dissolve itself in favor of a political solution.

Ocalan’s appeal was first issued publicly in February and reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution to a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives since the PKK launched its insurgency in 1984. Once engaged in a brutal separatist campaign in southeastern Turkey, the PKK was known for its use of guerrilla tactics and high-profile attacks targeting military installations and government institutions.