Erbil, Kurdistan Region, November 26, 2022

President Nechirvan Barzani received today in Erbil a U.S. congressional delegation, led by Mr. Mark Takano, and accompanied by a number of members of Congress and diplomats.

At the meeting, attended by the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ms. Alina L. Romanowski, developing the U.S. bilateral relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and further exchange of delegations between them were discussed. The meeting also focused on the latest political and security developments in Iraq, the Erbil-Baghdad relations and the discussions to resolve the pending issues between them, highlighting the threats of terrorism and the fight against ISIS terrorists.

Both sides emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation among the Iraqi parties and the support for the new Iraqi government for the realization of its agenda. They underlined the significance of protecting the security and stability of the borders and the sovereignty of Iraq and agreed that an opportunity has emerged for Erbil and Baghdad to resolve their longstanding problems and to cooperate on key issues.

The U.S. congressional delegation praised the role of the Peshmerga in the fight against ISIS, and reiterated that the U.S. highly values its bilateral relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, expressing America’s commitment to continue its strategic partnership and cooperation with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in confronting the threats of ISIS.

For his part, President Nechirvan Barzani expressed the Kurdistan Region’s gratitude and appreciation for the support of the U.S. and the international coalition for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the fight against ISIS and also for the support and cooperation of the U.S. in the process of reforms in the Peshmerga Ministry.

Discussions also covered the need to speed up the process of reform in the Peshmerga Ministry, highlighting the developments in the Kurdistan Region and underlining the importance of unity among the political parties in the Kurdistan Region, the situation in the wider region, and other topics of mutual interest.