TEHRAN – In an interview with Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) on Saturday, Netilvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, reaffirmed the region’s commitment to protecting Iran’s safety.
“We will not allow any group to use territory as a source of threats to Iran’s peace and security,” declared Barzani.
The pledge follows a visit to Erbil, a landmark in Iran’s Masaud Pezeshkian, in September 2024.
According to Barzani, Pezeshkian’s trip to the Kurdistan region was first described by Iranian heads of state as a “new stage in strengthening historical relations” for more than a decade.
Before the president arrived, Barzani visited Tehran for consultations between leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and senior Iranian officials, and laid the foundation for strengthening cooperation.
Border guards were the central theme of the talks between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan.
In this week’s remarks to Iranian media, Barzani highlighted “serious progress” in implementing the 2023 Iran-Iraq security agreement, and jointly conducted border surveillance with Baghdad to override the threat. I quoted efforts.
“The stability of our borders is a common responsibility,” he said, adding that Erbil has “full commitment” to prevent activities that put Iran’s security at risk.
Barzani stressed that security measures and border surveillance have been strengthened to prevent activities that could affect the stability of the borders on both sides.
Barzani stressed that coordination between Iraqi Kurdistan and federal authorities had the existence of a “security vacuum” and the introduction of mechanisms to proactively monitor and address risk.
He emphasized that both sides followed up on the agreements made during high-level visits between Tehran and Erbil, focusing on economic, security and cultural cooperation.
Officials also explained that debates during the Iranian president’s visit have led to an agreement to promote trade, which is now over $10 billion a year, flowing 60% of the borders of Kurdistan in Iraq.
Both sides are aiming to “expand joint production and commercial exchange,” Barzani pointed out, highlighting plans to streamline customs processes and strengthen private sector partnerships.
Despite the common goals, challenges remain, including logistics bottlenecks at border crossings that hinder trade growth and US sanctions on Iran.
However, Barzani expressed confidence in the ongoing negotiations with Baghdad to harmonize regulations and “promote production and exchange.”
He continued, “Both sides should consider solutions to speed up and encourage customs, trade moves and exchange of goods at border gates.”