ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, on Sunday received Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassim al-Araji in the capital Erbil, discussing a variety of subjects, mainly local and regional security concerns.
“Both sides agreed on the importance of further developing assistance and cooperation between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government to face dangers and terrorist threats and preserving the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole,” read a statement from Barzani’s office.
Araji congratulated the Kurdish premier on holding a successful elections process last week.
The Kurdistan Region held parliamentary elections on October 20, after two years of delay and four times of rescheduling. The vote was praised by international allies, including the US, for the impressive 72 percent voter turnout and for proceeding without any “major security incidents.”
Barzani and Araji also discussed recent security developments in Iraq and the region.
Araji arrived in Erbil on Sunday morning, welcomed by Kurdistan Region’s Interior Minister Reber Ahmed. A post from the Iraqi official’s media office said that the visit is “based on the directive of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces [Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani],” without providing further clarification.
His visit comes amid heightening tensions in the Middle East and a day after Israel struck Iranian military targets across several provinces. Iran said that Israel used Iraqi airspace in the operation with the aid of the US military in the country.
Iraq has repeatedly rejected the use of its territories and airspace for attacks on neighboring countries.