ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Saturday met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, with the latter condemning the targeting of Erbil during the US-Israeli war on Iran, as well as discussing shared initiatives and the peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The Kurdish premier met Erdogan at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul in a high-profile visit that mark's Barzani's first since January 2025.

The pair stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region, with the Kurdish premier reiterating Erbil’s “desire to further promote bilateral cooperation and coordination,” according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.

The two also discussed developments in the region, lauding both sides’ efforts to promote stability and peace. Erdogan underscored the role of President Masoud Barzani and the Kurdistan Region “as an important factor of peace and stability in the region.”

The formation of Iraq’s next government was also discussed, with the leaders expressing hope that “the new federal cabinet will promote peace and stability in Iraq, serve all communities without discrimination,” the prime minister wrote in an X post.

Barzani reaffirmed his support for the PKK’s disarmament and the peace process in Turkey, the statement added.

"During the reception, the latest developments in our region were discussed," read a statement from the Turkish Presidency, with Erdogan expressing his "solidarity" with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for the Region incurred during the recent regional war.

"President Erdogan expressed that they are saddened by the targeting of Iraqi territory, including Erbil, in the war between the US and Iran, and stated that as Turkey, they never want the conflicts to spread to other countries in our region."

Despite maintaining a neutral stance, the Kurdistan Region has been targeted by hundreds of drone and missile attacks by Iran and Iran-aligned Iraq factions that have continued amid a fragile ceasefire between the warring parties.

In early March, Erdogan praised the stance of neutrality taken by the Kurdistan Region’s leaders on the US-Israeli war on Iran, coming after US media reports speculated that Kurdish dissident forces were preparing a cross-border offensive into Iran.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said: "We welcome the statements made by our brothers in the Iraqi Kurdish region and wholeheartedly believe that they will not fall for this plot."

The Saturday statement also expressed the Turkish leader's desire to focus on bilateral intiatives in the domains of "trade, transportation, and energy," adding that "the implementation of the 'Development Road Project' will provide great benefits not only for Iraq but also for the Gulf region."

The Development Road is a massive, multi-billion-dollar project that entails the expansion of railways, roads, and ports, shortening travel time between Asia and Europe and linking the Grand Faw Port in southern Iraq to the Turkish border.

The route will pass through Diwaniyah, Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, and Mosul before entering Turkey’s Sirnak Province and reaching Mersin on the Mediterranean Sea.

The architectural plan for the Development Road is structured in three phases, with phase one projected to be completed by 2028, while the second and third phases are expected to finish in 2033 and 2050 respectively.

The meeting also saw discussion of Ankara's peace process with the PKK, which officially dissolved last year and vowed to pursue its aims through political means following a decades-long armed insurgency against the Turkish state.

"President Erdogan stated that they are determined to bring the "Terror-Free Turkey" process to a successful conclusion, and that they desire peace and stability both in their own country and in their neighbors."

The KRG has been a key supporter of the path to peace between the Kurdish militant group and Turkey.

The premier also met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler during his visit, as well as other top officials.

Updated at 17:03 (Erbil time) with PM's statement