Welcomed by Kurdistan Region counterpart

Iran’s President Pezeshkian arrives in Erbil for talks with Kurdish officials

2024-09-12 | 09:42

ERBIL — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived at Erbil International Airport on Thursday morning, greeted by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani.

Pezeshkian, who had been in Baghdad since Wednesday, met with Iraq’s prime minister, president, and other political figures during his visit. His arrival in Erbil marks the next phase of his official trip to Iraq, which is his first foreign visit since taking office.

During his time in the Kurdistan Region, Pezeshkian is set to meet with key officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government, as well as political party leaders, to discuss matters of political, economic, and cultural interest. He is also expected to visit Sulaymaniyah. Speaking to press in Kurdish from Baghdad, Pezeshkian expressed his commitment to “further strengthen” relations with the Kurdistan Region.

On Wednesday, Iraq and Iran signed 14 memoranda of understanding across a range of sectors. The Iraqi Council of Ministers announced that the agreements include cooperation in military training, youth and sports development, cultural and archaeological exchanges, education, diplomatic relations, religious tourism, and telecommunications. The MOUs also cover agriculture, natural resources, vocational training, labor development, and the creation of free trade zones.

Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old heart surgeon and veteran lawmaker, became president of Iran on July 6, following the sudden death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

Relations between Iran and Iraq, both Shiite-majority countries, have strengthened since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein’s Sunni-dominated regime. Non-oil trade between the two countries reached nearly $5 billion from March to August 2024, according to Iranian media reports.