ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region arrived in Washington on Sunday and will meet with high-ranking US officials.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s visit to the US will come after he received an official invitation from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

During his visit, Barzani will meet with a number of high ranking US officials including Secretary Blinken, and will also visit the White House, a source told The New Region.

Speaking to The New Region on Sunday, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) representative to the US said that Barzani’s visit to Washington “underscores the strong bilateral relations between the United States and the Kurdistan Region.”

“Given the current political and security dynamics in the region, the timing of the visit is significant, highlighting the importance of ongoing dialogue and cooperation,” Treefa Aziz added.

Barzani’s visit comes as his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is also planning to visit Washington, though his visit is considered to be more focused towards negotiating the withdrawal of the US-led coalition forces from Iraq.

The Kurdistan Region has long been an ally of the US. Washington has for years provided military aid and training to the Region’s Peshmerga forces.

During a meeting with Barzani in Davos, Sullivan "expressed appreciation for the Kurdistan region’s strong partnership with the United States and reaffirmed U.S. support,” according to a statement from the White House.

In the meeting at Davos, Barzani discussed the Iranian missile attack on Erbil with the US officials.

“Sullivan strongly condemned Iran’s reckless ballistic missile attacks the previous day in the capital city of the Kurdistan region, Erbil, and offered condolences for the tragic deaths of four civilians in these attacks, including an infant less than one year old,” the White House statement read at the time.

Updated with statement from KRG representative to US at 7:15 pm