Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas arrived in Iraq’s capital Baghdad on Sunday as part of his Middle East tour, where he is also set to inaugurate the new US Consulate General in Erbil.

Rigas was received by Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Baghdad Joshua Harris upon his arrival.

“This visit strengthens US–Iraq ties through engagement with leaders and communities to advance shared goals of sovereignty and prosperity,” read an X post from the US embassy.. 

The top official’s visit comes after completing his trip to Turkey, and is part of a broader Middle East tour which will also see him pay visits to the Kurdistan Region and later Israel between November 27 and December 5, according to a State Department press release.

"In Iraq, the Deputy Secretary will meet with Iraqi officials, tour US diplomatic facilities, and inaugurate the new Consulate General in Erbil," it continued.

The new US Consulate General is set to become Washington's largest consulate worldwide. In May, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani toured the $800-million complex with then-Consul General Steven Bitner.

The architecture firm Page designed the facility, describing it as expressing the "United States’ democratic values within Iraq’s cultural context, symbolizing the global partners’ relationship and shared aspirations."

"Located eight miles from Erbil’s historic city center, this project respects and responds to local conditions and culture through design that conserves water, controls light, and reduces energy consumption," the Washington-based company noted.

The new installation also features a residential village to allow a portion of embassy staffers to live on site, featuring "apartment buildings, townhouses, and a hotel," as well as dining facilities and a fitness center.

The US Consulate General officially opened in 2011, upgrading Washington's diplomatic presence in the Kurdistan Region from a Regional Construction Team that had been based in the Kurdish capital since 2007.