Barzani thanked Rashnoudi “for expanding his country’s relations with the Kurdistan Region and wished him success in his future assignment,” the Kurdistan Region Presidency said in a statement.
During the meeting, both sides “expressed their mutual desire to develop relations between Iran and the Kurdistan Region in all fields,” according to the statement.
Earlier this month, Rashnoudi told Rudaw that the Islamic republic will help Kurdish parties “whenever necessary” to form the next government, stressing that Tehran’s efforts have always been to improve ties with Erbil.
President Barzani has visited Iran twice this year. In May, He conducted a three-day trip to Tehran and met top officials including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and late President Ebrahim Raisi. Barzani also attended President Masoud Pezeshkian’s inauguration ceremony in late July.
The Kurdistan Region and Iran enjoy good ties. During a forum in Sulaimani in April, Barzani said that Iran contributed to the region's economic "success.”
But that relationship has been strained in recent years by Tehran’s attacks on exiled Kurdish groups and deadly missile strikes on locations that it alleged were Mossad bases in the Region; Erbil has vehemently rejected the claims.
In September, Rashnoudi described Iran’s relations with the Kurds as having always been “strong, solid, and important.”
