ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, in Tehran on Monday to discuss bilateral relations and regional security.
According to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency, “The meeting focused on the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region, highlighting the importance of coordination and collaboration, particularly in enhancing security and stability in the region.”
President Barzani arrived in the Iranian capital on Saturday to participate in the Tehran Dialogue Forum (TDF), a prominent political and diplomatic gathering organized by Iran’s foreign ministry.
During his visit, the Kurdistan Region President was received by several senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Talks centered on strengthening bilateral ties and advancing regional collaboration.
The Kurdistan Region Presidency’s statement quoted President Barzani as reaffirming Erbil’s “commitment to ensuring that its territory and borders do not pose any threat to the security of neighboring countries.”
The meeting also covered recent developments in the Middle East, along with other shared concerns.
In March 2023, Iran and Iraq signed a security agreement under which Baghdad committed to disarming Kurdish opposition groups and tightening security along the shared border.
Earlier this month, three Kurdish opposition parties from western Iran (Rojhelat) began relocating from their bases around the Kurdistan Region’s southeastern Sulaimani province in accordance with the pact.
Although historically close, relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iran have been strained in recent years due to Tehran’s attacks on exiled Kurdish opposition groups and missile strikes on sites in the Region it claimed were Mossad-affiliated. Erbil has firmly denied these allegations.
Commenting on the significance of President Barzani’s visit, Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesperson Delshad Shehab said on Sunday that a "new phase" in Erbil-Tehran relations has begun, noting that the Region has “overcome the phase of misunderstanding with Iran and is now entering the phase of developing relations.”
