PUK confirms Trump call, says US explained objectives

SULAYMANIYAH — The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan confirmed Tuesday that PUK President Bafel Talabani held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump around the time the war with Iran began, during which Trump “provided clarification on U.S. objectives in this war” and “thanked the PUK for its role in Iraq.”

Talabani described the call as “an opportunity to understand the objectives of the United States and to discuss mutual support for building a strong partnership between the United States and Iraq,” according to a statement issued after the PUK Political Bureau met Tuesday to discuss the regional situation.

The confirmation comes as Kurdish leaders navigate a particularly delicate position following the outbreak of fighting. The Kurdistan Region has absorbed days of sustained strikes since the war began Saturday, with Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein saying Monday that more than 70 missiles and drones have targeted Erbil alone.

The PUK said “the best solution is returning to the negotiating table and resolving issues through understanding and dialogue,” adding that its priority is “protecting the lives and property of the citizens of the Kurdistan Region and the sovereignty of Iraq.”

Talabani also briefed the bureau on a recent meeting with Trump’s special envoy Tom Barrack and Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, during which discussions focused on “ensuring a constitutional Syria that safeguards the rights of all its components” and implementing the Jan. 29 agreement between Syria and the SDF.