ARBIL: Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Iraqi Kurdis­tan on Thursday on a visit hailed by the regional head as the first by an Iranian president to the autonomous region.

Pezeshkian’s visit to Iraq is his first trip abroad since he took office in July.

The Kurdistan leg is the latest sign of warming relations between Iran and the Kurds after years of tensions, most recently culminating in Iranian air strikes against Iranian-Kurdish rebels in the region two years ago.

Stepping off the plane in Kurdistan’s capital Arbil, Pez­e­s­hkian was welcomed by regional president Nechirvan Barzani on a red carpet lined with Kurdish peshmerga forces standing at attention with rifles at their sides.

Barzani hailed the first visit by an Iranian president to the region, describing it as a “historic day”.

Pezeshkian also held talks with Kurdistan’s prime minister, Masrour Barzani, as well as veteran Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, who presides over the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

“We hope to expand economic and commercial cooperation with the Iraqi Kurdistan region,” Pezeshkian said, according to a statement from his office.

Pezeshkian later headed to Sulaimaniyah, a city where the KDP’s historical rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, wields influence. including in the security services.

‘Never pose a threat’

Iran’s ties with Iraqi Kurdistan have improved in rec­ent months, aided by efforts to neutralise Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, which have long operated in the region.

During a meeting with Pezeshkian also attended by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, the Kurdish president pointed to “Kurdistan’s desire to develop relations and expand cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all areas”.

“The Kurdistan region will never pose a threat to Iran and neighbouring countries,” a statement from Barzani’s office said, adding that Arbil “respects the security deal signed between Iraq and Iran”.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2024