ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke on the phone on Monday to discuss the latest escalation in Iran-Israel conflict, according to a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry.
The Israel-Iran conflict escalated sharply after Israel launched a large-scale strike on Friday, killing several senior military commanders and key nuclear scientists. In response, Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israeli targets, escalating the conflict significantly.
According to Israeli authorities, so far at least 24 civilians have been killed and 592 injured. In Iran, authorities reported 224 people killed and 1,277 injured.
“Barzani called for the adoption of urgent and effective measures by the international community to prevent further escalation of insecurity in the region,” read a statement from Iranian foreign ministry.
The Kurdistan Region Presidency further opposed the use of military force in their tensions.
In a statement, the Kurdistan Region Presidency said that Barzani and Araghchi “agreed on the importance of preserving peace and stability and keeping the region away from further complications.”
“They emphasized that the international community should play its role in stopping military actions and peacefully resolving disputes,” the statement said on Saturday.
In 2023, Iraq and Iran signed a security pact that saw Baghdad agree to disarm Kurdish opposition groups and secure the border regions. Iran had threatened to use military action if Baghdad failed to fulfill the agreement.
During the phone call, Araghchi “emphasized that the current sensitive conditions require the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region to fully implement the provisions of the security agreement between the two countries to prevent any exploitation by ill-wishers of both countries to destabilize border areas,” the statement noted.
Updated on June 17 at 11:15 am with Kurdistan Region Presidency statement.
