ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The President of the Kurdistan Region on Tuesday concluded a two-day visit to Tehran where he met with top Iranian officials, marking his first official visit to the country during the current Iranian cabinet’s tenure, and the first Kurdish official visit since Iranian missiles targeted the Kurdish capital of Erbil earlier in the year.
President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Tehran on Sunday where he was received by Iranian officials, however his official meetings did not start until Monday, where he commenced his marathon of meetings with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
“Both sides emphasized the significance of strengthening the ties between Iran, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region, based on the principles of good neighborliness, shared interests, and advancing trade and economic relations,” read a statement from Barzani’s office on Monday following the meeting
Iranian state media reported Raisi as having told Barzani that they “expect the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to absolutely prevent any aggression” by Israel and its allies from the territory of Iraq and Kurdistan Region, reiterating a claim long denied by Kurdish officials.
Barzani later that day met with the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to a statement from Barzani’s office, both sides “underscored the Kurdistan Region’s aspiration to strengthen relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran across various sectors.”
In his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the conversation revolved around strengthening bilateral relations, as well as “exploring avenues to improve trade and economic cooperation,” the statement added.
Barzani on Tuesday met with Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baghir Ghalibaf.
“It was mutually agreed that the Islamic Republic of Iran holds immense potential for collaboration with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in areas such as trade, economy, investment, agriculture, tourism, culture, education, and many others,” read a statement from Barzani’s office. “To fully capitalize on these opportunities, it is crucial for the relevant stakeholders from both sides to continue working together.”
Security meetings
Barzani during his visit met with Iranian security officials, with discussions focusing on regional security and the Iran-Iraq security agreement
On Monday, he met with Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian.
“Ahmadian reiterated his country’s support for the Kurdistan Region,” read a statement from Barzani’s office, adding that Barzani reiterated “that the Kurdistan Region will consistently contribute to regional peace and stability, emphasizing that the Kurdistan Region does not pose a threat to any entity in the region.”
Barzani concluded his visit on Tuesday by visiting the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, the top leader of the force that launched ballistic missiles on Erbil earlier in the year.
“Both parties emphasized the significance of enhancing cooperation and coordination between the relevant entities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region to uphold security and stability along the borders and effectively address security challenges,” read a statement from Barzani’s office.
Multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones were directed at Erbil by Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on January 15.
A number of the rockets landed on the private residence of Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee, flattening his house, killing him and his one year old daughter, and wounding other members of his family.
The IRGC claimed responsibility for the attacks, adding that they had targeted an Israeli intelligence spot in Erbil, a claim that has been denied by Iraqi and Kurdish officials repeatedly.
"Since 2020 and 2021, Erbil, as a city and province, has been subjected to 143 drone or ballistic missile attacks by Iran or its followers. These crimes are always justified by claiming the presence of international intelligence centers, specifically Mossad or Kurdish opposition in Kurdistan,” Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani said in an interview with Monte Carlo in February.
The Iraqi government immediately after the attack sent over a team led by National Security Advisor Qasem al-Araji to investigate the site of the attack, who concluded that the house targeted was no intelligence base.
This was not the first time he had made such a conclusion, nor is it the first time Iran had targeted the house of a Kurdish businessman inside Erbil.
In March 2022, under the same pretext, IRGC fired a dozen ballistic missiles at Erbil, some of which landed on the house of Sheikh Baaz, another renowned Kurdish businessman. Their reason was also targeting Israeli intelligence at the time, but that claim was also refuted by Iraq and the KRG.
President Barzani on Tuesday held a press conference from Tehran, where he said, “the Kurdistan Region is committed to not posing a threat to its neighboring countries. It is crucial to understand that no armed forces, under any circumstances or name, should enter Iranian territory from the Kurdistan Region and then return to the Kurdistan Region.”
“We also have made requests regarding security matters and these requests will be addressed in the security committee by the Kurdistan Region’s representative, who is the KRG Interior Minister,” Barzani added. “In my meetings, we clearly raised the matters that are causing apprehension for the Kurdistan Region, and these concerns will be discussed also through the framework of the mechanism that I previously mentioned,”
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