Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spoke with the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani on Thursday. The two discussed the latest political and security developments in Iraq and expressed their support for the efforts by both Iraqi leaders and the local tribal leaders to fight the terrorist groups in the Anbar province. They also both emphasized the need for dialogue to address Iraq’s political challenges.

During the telephone conversation, the two also discussed relations between Erbil and Baghdad and agreed that the current exchange of visits and the talks to continue between the two sides with the aim of reaching understanding on the issue of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region.

President Barzani expressed his readiness to work with other Iraqi leaders to diffuse the current crisis. The U.S. Vice President emphasized the strong U.S. support for a unified and federal Iraq as defined under the Iraqi constitution.