Kurdistan president Barzani arrives in Tehran for talks
TEHRAN – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has travelled to Tehran for meetings with Iran's top leaders, marking his fifth visit to the country in the past decade.
Barzani landed in Tehran on Sunday afternoon, accompanied with a high-level delegation including Vice Presidents, the Minister of Interior, the head of the Presidential Office, and various officials from the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
During the visit, President Barzani will hold discussions with senior Iranian officials, focusing on bolstering bilateral relations between Iran, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region.
The agenda also includes deliberations on regional developments of mutual interest and significance.
In a statement, the Kurdistan Region Presidency emphasized that President Barzani's discussions in Tehran aim to strengthen ties with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, exploring potential areas for cooperation while addressing current regional issues. Interior Minister Reber Ahmed will be among the senior Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials accompanying Barzani.
Among the officials President Barzani is expected to meet in Tehran are Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, President Ebrahim Raisi, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.
This visit follows Barzani's recent trip to Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials regarding the salaries of Kurdistan Region civil servants and the upcoming parliamentary elections.
President Barzani's last visit to Iran was in August 2021 to attend President Raisi's inauguration ceremony.
The Kurdistan Region maintains positive relations with Iran, with President Barzani acknowledging Iran's contribution to the economic prosperity of the Kurdistan Region during a forum in Sulaimani in April.
Barzani's visit also follows the historic visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Baghdad and Erbil last month, underscoring the evolving dynamics in the Region's diplomatic landscape.