WANA (Sep 12) – On Thursday, Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, welcomed Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian and his high-ranking delegation at Erbil International Airport. The visit marks an important step in strengthening ties between Iran and the Kurdistan Region.

 

In a subsequent meeting attended by Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region; Dr. Fouad Hussein, Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister; Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government; Abdullah Akreyi, Advisor to the President of the Kurdistan Region on Iranian Affairs; and senior officials from both sides, Nechirvan Barzani expressed his pleasure over the visit.

 

He described the first official visit of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region as a significant and friendly message for both parties.

 

Barzani highlighted the Kurdistan Region’s desire to enhance and expand relations with Iran across various sectors, noting the Kurdish people’s deep respect and appreciation for Iran’s support during challenging times.

Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, welcomes Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian and his high-ranking delegation at Erbil International Airport, September 12, Social media/ WANA News Agency

In response, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his satisfaction with the visit, reaffirming Iran’s strong commitment to strengthening ties with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. He emphasized that Iran seeks to expand cooperation in all areas and overcome any obstacles in the way of deeper relations.

 

Both parties praised the longstanding and friendly relations between Iran and the Kurdistan Region in political, social, and cultural spheres.

 

During the meeting, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government spoke about the current state of economic and trade relations and discussed ways to expand and strengthen cooperation.

 

In another part of the meeting, several key topics were discussed, including establishing stability and peace in the region. It was emphasized that the Kurdistan Region will never become a source of threat to Iran or neighboring countries and will remain committed to the Iraq-Iran security agreement.

 

After the meeting, a gathering was held with the presence of the President of the Kurdistan Region, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the accompanying high-ranking delegation. Leaders of political parties, religious minorities, and various ethnic groups in the Kurdistan Region participated.

 

During this gathering, both sides stressed the importance of relations between Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and Iran, as well as the valuable diversity of a society that includes all faiths, religions, and nationalities. They emphasized reconciliation, coexistence, exchange of ideas, and brotherhood among the peoples of the region.

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Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, meeting Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian and his high-ranking delegation at Erbil International Airport, September 12, Social media/ WANA News Agency

At the reception ceremony for Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian at Erbil International Airport, several high-ranking officials were present, including Dr. Fouad Hussein, Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister; Sheikh Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa, Deputy President of the Kurdistan Region; Reber Ahmed, Interior Minister of the Kurdistan Region; Fawzi Hariri, Chief of Staff of the Kurdistan Region Presidency; Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Foreign Relations Department; Abdullah Akreyi, Advisor to the Kurdistan Region President on Iranian Affairs; Dana Abdulkarim, Minister of Housing and Reconstruction; Mohammad Kazem Al Sadeq, Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad; Engineer Hassan Danaeifar, former Iranian Ambassador to Iraq; and Nasrollah Rashnoudi, Iranian Consul General in Erbil, along with several other officials from the Kurdistan Region.

 

Accompanying the Iranian President on his visit to Erbil were Jaafar Ghaem-Panah, Executive Deputy to the President; Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister; Abdolnaser Hemmati, Minister of Economy; Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei, Chief of Staff to the President; Mohammad Reza Farzin, Governor of the Central Bank; Farzaneh Sadegh, Minister of Roads and Urban Development; Mehdi Sanaei, Deputy Chief of the President’s Office for Political Affairs, among others.