ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan has been “unjustly affected” by regional conflicts despite not being a party to them, said President Masoud Barzani in a meeting with US Special Presidential Envoy for Iraq and Syria Tom Barack in Erbil on Tuesday, while the senior American diplomat praised the preeminent Kurdish leader’s role in promoting regional stability.
“The Kurdistan Region has always been a catalyst of stability and has supported dialogue and diplomatic solutions to all problems in Iraq and the region,” President Barzani said, according to a statement from his office, lamenting that while Kurdistan “has never been part of the problems, it has been unjustly affected by the conflicts and tensions of the region.”
He further stressed that “the Middle East must move toward a situation of stability and prosperity for its population.”
The Kurdistan Region has faced a sustained wave of aerial attacks in recent months, following the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28, when the US and Israel launched a widescale aerial campaign, striking thousands of targets across the country during six weeks of hostilities.
In response, Tehran carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.
The Iranian response has also included strikes by factions aligned with the Iran-led ‘Axis of Resistance’, including by Iraqi armed groups that have claimed numerous attacks against alleged US targets in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
According to Rudaw tracking, the Region has been hit by at least 865 drones and missiles from late February until last week.
Moreover, Barrack on Tuesday conveyed the regards of US President Donald Trump to the Kurdish leader and “expressed appreciation for President Barzani’s role in ensuring stability in Iraq and the region.”
The US envoy also stressed the need for “joint work and coordination” between Erbil and Baghdad, as well as efforts to “stabilize and protect Iraq’s political system and preserve the state’s role in controlling irregular armed forces.”
Barrack reiterated his country’s support for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s push to “disarm militias and return weapons under the authority of the Iraqi state,” while President Barzani voiced his support for Zaidi, stressing the need for all sides to “learn from past mistakes and work on the basis of partnership, balance, consensus, within the framework of the [Iraqi] constitution.”
Of note, the senior American diplomat has held talks with Kurdish and Iraqi leaders in Baghdad and Erbil on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
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