ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Thursday met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot as the latter continues his Middle East trip, with the pair discussing regional security issues, including the transfer of Syrian jihadist prisoners to Iraq, and economic ties.

The French top diplomat arrived in Baghdad following a meeting with Syrian officials in Damascus earlier in the day, and is set to meet with officials in the Kurdistan Region later in the day.

Sudani "affirmed Iraq’s commitment to building more robust relations with France, particularly in the economic sphere, and to facilitating visits by French companies to Iraq and coordinating the establishment of effective partnerships with Iraqi counterparts," according to a statement from the premier's office.

For his part, Barrot "confirmed the interest of French companies in expanding their presence in Iraq and noted the participation of 20 French companies from various sectors in the Baghdad International Fair," the statement asserted.

The pair also discussed cooperation in the counter-terrorism domain, with Sudani stressing Iraq's role in taking in Islamic State (ISIS) prisoners following recent turmoil in Rojava (northeast Syria).

"Iraq has assumed significant responsibilities on behalf of the international community, most recently in relation to the transfer of terrorist detainees from prisons in Syria," Sudani's office quoted him as saying.

"Iraq requires international support at this critical juncture, and that concerned states must fulfill their obligations by repatriating their nationals, given the shared security threat posed by this issue."

Barrot promptly thanked Baghdad for its critical role in prisoner transfers and offered Paris' support in dealing with detainees.

The French top diplomat earlier in the day met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, with the pair holding a joint presser in which Barrot said that "The region is witnessing tensions, and there is a real risk of a military escalation,” coming amid the continued war of words between the US and Iran.

Sudani reiterated "Iraq’s support for dialogue as an essential path toward de-escalation and peaceful solutions" ahead of indirect US-Iran talks scheduled to be held in Oman on Friday.