President Barzani arrives in Tehran for Pezeshkian's inauguration

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.

President Barzani was received by Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Issa Zarepour.

Delegates from 80 countries are said to attend the reformist’s inauguration, according to Iranian state media.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani is also set to attend the ceremony.

Pezeshkian was formally endorsed as president of the Islamic republic by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday.

President Barzani also attended the swearing-in ceremony of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in August 2021.

Barzani visited Tehran in early May and met with Iran’s top officials. The trip played a large role in strengthening ties between Tehran and Erbil, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq, Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, told Rudaw at the time. Barzani returned to the Iranian capital for Raisi’s funeral.

Iran’s acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani visited Baghdad and Erbil in June.

The Kurdistan Region and Iran enjoy good ties. During a forum in Sulaimani in April, Barzani said that Iran contributed to the economic “success” of the Kurdistan Region.