President Barzani, Iraqi army chief discuss Peshmerga cooperation and coalition transition

ERBIL — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met Tuesday with General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces, and a delegation of senior Iraqi military and security officials to discuss coordination between the Iraqi Army, the Peshmerga forces, and the international coalition.

The meeting, attended by the Peshmerga Chief of Staff and officials from the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, focused on Iraq–U.S. military relations, the bilateral security agreement, and developments in Syria. Both sides reaffirmed that ISIS remains a threat to stability in Iraq and Syria.

Barzani stressed that Iraq and the Kurdistan Region “continue to require the cooperation and assistance of coalition forces to confront terrorism,” in accordance with existing Iraqi security agreements. He commended the Iraqi Army’s role in maintaining national security and called for stronger operational coordination between the Peshmerga and the army.

The discussion comes as Iraq prepares to conclude the international coalition’s mission and shift to bilateral security partnerships by 2026. Hussein Allawi, an adviser to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, said earlier that coalition headquarters in Baghdad and at Ain al-Asad Air Base will be closed, with cooperation to continue under the U.S.–Iraq Strategic Agreement.

Full statement from Kurdistan Region Presidency:

President Nechirvan Barzani received General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces, along with his delegation, which included high-ranking military and security officials from Iraq.

The meeting, attended by the Peshmerga Chief of Staff and officials from the Ministry of Peshmerga, discussed cooperation between the Iraqi Army and the Peshmerga forces with the international coalition, military and security relations between Iraq and the United States with a focus on the bilateral security agreement, the threat of terrorism, and the current situation in Syria.

Both sides noted that ISIS continues to pose a threat to the security and stability of Iraq and Syria. President Nechirvan Barzani emphasized that both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region continue to require the cooperation and assistance of coalition forces to confront terrorism, in accordance with Iraqi security agreements.

He also commended the Iraqi Army’s role in promoting security and stability in the country and highlighted the importance of strengthening joint efforts between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi Army. In response, the Iraqi Chief of Staff affirmed that cooperation between the two forces is at an optimal level and praised the contributions of the Peshmerga Chief of Staff.

The meeting further discussed border security and border crossings, particularly between Syria and Iraq, as well as the conclusion of the international coalition’s mission in Iraq in September 2026 and the circumstances that will follow that period.