TEHRAN- During his visit to Iran, Nechirvan Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, engaged in a series of high-level meetings with key Iranian officials. 

Barzani's itinerary included discussions with the Iranian Foreign Minister, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and the Parliament Speaker.

Noteworthy among his engagements were the meeting with Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Subsequently, Barzani met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian to delve into matters of mutual interest.

Amir Abdollahian expressed contentment regarding Barzani's visit, characterizing the ties between Iran and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region as enduring, amicable, and indispensable. 

He emphasized the potential for enhancing bilateral relations, particularly in trade and the economy, viewing Barzani's visit as an opportunity to fortify such bonds.

In turn, Barzani lauded Iran's historical and constructive role in Iraq's development, underscoring the Islamic Republic's consistent support for both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. 

He paid tribute to the late Iranian anti-terror General Soleimani for his efforts in advancing regional security and emphasized the symbiotic nature of Iran's and Iraq's security.

Barzani also highlighted the significance of the security agreement and the joint security committee formed between Iran and Iraq. 

He affirmed the commitment to diligently pursue the full implementation of the agreement, underscoring the seriousness with which both parties approach this endeavor.

Iran's security chief affirms commitment to upholding the sovereignty of Iraq and Kurdistan Region

In a meeting on Monday, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, reaffirmed Iran's commitment to bolstering the sovereignty of both Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. 

Ahmadian emphasized Iran's preparedness to provide support in this regard.

Barzani, in response, underscored the importance of his discussions with top Iranian officials, stressing that measures would be taken to prevent any third-party actions that could jeopardize Iran's security originating from the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. 

He referenced the longstanding support extended by Iran, particularly during and after the Iran-Iraq war, expressing optimism for further advancements in bilateral ties across various domains.

Ahmadian echoed the sentiments, describing the relationship between Iran and the Iraqi people, including those in Iraqi Kurdistan, as deeply rooted, historical, and culturally significant, founded on shared principles. 

He emphasized the need to safeguard this relationship against interference from external entities, including the Zionist regime and anti-Iranian elements.

Furthermore, Ahmadian conveyed Iran's readiness to engage in comprehensive cooperation with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region within the framework of Iraq's constitution. 

He reiterated Iran's commitment to providing various forms of support to the people and sovereignty of both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, with a particular emphasis on assisting Barzani.

Both parties also stressed the importance of fully implementing the security agreement between Iran and Iraq until insecurity is completely eradicated, underscoring their dedication to achieving this goal.

Iranian parliament speaker highlights opportunities for strengthening ties with Iraq

During a meeting on Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf highlighted the potential for economic growth between Iran and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, stressing the importance of seizing such opportunities. 

Ghalibaf noted that Barzani's visit to Iran comes at an opportune moment and expressed confidence that it will lead to further enhancement of ties between the Islamic Republic and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. 

He emphasized the significance of such diplomatic tours in fostering not only economic relations but also political and security cooperation, suggesting that the discussions held during the meeting would contribute to strengthening these ties.

Barzani, in response, affirmed ongoing efforts to bolster economic relations with Iran. 

Reflecting on his discussions with Iranian officials, Barzani anticipated a new phase in the historical relationship between Iran and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

Both parties acknowledged the potential for growth and cooperation, signaling a mutual commitment to deepening ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration.

Why Iraqi Kurdistan is important for Iran

President of Iraqi Kurdistan region Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Tehran on Sunday, heading a high-level delegation to bolster relations and explore opportunities for cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

Nazim Dabbagh, representing the Kurdistan Regional Government in Tehran, emphasized the significance of the visit, noting Iran’s view of Iraqi Kurds as a strategic ally.

Since the overthrow of the Baath regime in 2003, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have become two important destinations for Iranian goods.

Iran’s trade volume with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region has stood at around 13 billion dollars in recent years, just over half of which passes through around half a dozen land border crossings with areas under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Iranian officials have repeatedly said that they want to increase the volume to 20 billion dollars in the coming years.

According to the Iraqi Kurdistan’s Importers and Exporters Union, Iran ranks as the second-largest trading partner of the Iraqi Kurdistan region, just behind Turkey. Their annual trade amounts to approximately $6 billion.

The Iraqi Kurdistan’s market offers the best opportunity for the presence of Iran's capabilities in various fields.

Over the last two decades, it has seen the regional countries jockeying for position, but Iran's presence in the market has been minimal despite the existence of common cultural and social capacities between the two sides.

Various memorandums have been signed, especially by the provincial authorities in recent years, but the presence of Iranians in the regional market is not proportional to the capacities and talents at their disposal.

For example, there is significant capacity in the medical sector in Iran’s Kurdish-populated regions near the border, which can be used by patients and clients from Iraq, including Iraqi Kurdistan.  

Currently, the presence of health tourists from the Iraqi Kurdistan in Iran’s Kurdish regions is a familiar sight, but there is still room for much bigger numbers given the existing capacities and linguistic and cultural similarities.

The Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran are connected through three official and internationally recognized border crossings: Parviz Khan in Garmiyan, Haji Omran in Erbil, and Bashmakh in Sulaymaniyah. Additionally, trade persists between the two regions through semi-official border points such as Shushme, Sayranban, Kele, and Pishtay Tawela.

Kermanshah in Iran alone has 371 km of land bordering the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, with six border crossings and border markets.

Food industries and industrial products are one of the most important market needs of the Iraqi Kurds, for which there are significant capacities in the Iranian Kurdistan. 
 
Overall, Iraq has always had a significant place in Iran’s international trade, where the export of engineering services to rebuild the country’s infrastructure is more desirable than the export of goods.