Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian Visits Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Kurdistan Region, The Gulf Observer: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, currently on his first foreign visit since assuming office, arrived in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on Thursday morning, marking a historic moment as the first Iranian president to visit the region since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Pezeshkian was welcomed with an official ceremony at Erbil International Airport by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and several high-ranking officials. The president is accompanied by a high-level delegation, reflecting the significance of the visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.
During his visit to the Kurdistan Region, President Pezeshkian is scheduled to hold meetings with key Kurdish leaders in Erbil, after which he will travel to Al-Sulaymaniyah. Speaking to Kurdish media outlet Rudaw upon his arrival in Baghdad a day earlier, Pezeshkian, addressing the media in Kurdish, emphasized his intention to enhance relations with the Kurdistan Region.
“The current relations between Iran and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are good, and we are working to strengthen them with God’s help,” Pezeshkian stated.
The president’s visit to the Kurdistan Region follows his meetings in Baghdad with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani. In a joint press conference, Pezeshkian highlighted the importance of implementing security cooperation agreements between Iran and Iraq, addressing regional security concerns.
As part of his wider visit to Iraq, Pezeshkian will also visit the holy shrines of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf and Imam Hussain (AS) in Karbala, two significant religious sites for Shia Muslims. Additionally, the Iranian president will inspect Iranian-led development projects in Basra before heading north to the Kurdistan Region.
This visit underscores Pezeshkian’s focus on enhancing ties with Iraq, particularly with the autonomous Kurdistan Region, and strengthening eco-political cooperation in the region.
