A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – led by Safeen Dizayee, the head of the Department of Foreign Relations, and Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister – is currently on an official visit to the United States. The delegation was warmly received by Treefa Aziz, the KRG representative to the United States. This visit follows Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s recent trip to the United States and comes at a critical time amid significant developments in the region.

During their stay, the delegation is expected to participate in numerous meetings. During their first meeting with Ross Perot Jr, Chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Steve Lutes, Vice President of Middle East Affairs, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, they discussed strengthening the U.S.-Kurdistan business partnership, reopening the International Trade Partnership, and planning future delegation visits to the Kurdistan Region. The KRG expressed appreciation for the ongoing support and emphasized the importance of advancing shared priorities.

In a significant milestone in its economic development, the KRG recently signed two multi-billion-dollar agreements with U.S. energy companies HKN Energy and WesternZagros Resources on May 19, 2025. The signing ceremony took place in Washington, D.C., hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Prime Minister Barzani heralded these deals as the dawn of a new era for the region, emphasizing their critical role in advancing Kurdistan’s energy infrastructure.

Read more: KRG’s Multi-Billion-Dollar Energy Deals in the U.S.: Everything You Need to Know

In addition, the KRG delegation held a productive meeting with Tommy Joyce, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of International Affairs at the Department of Energy. Despite recent concerns regarding attacks on energy infrastructure, the representatives highlighted the tremendous opportunities available for expanding the oil and gas sector in the Kurdistan Region and throughout Iraq. They emphasized the potential for strengthening regional stability and fostering economic growth. This meeting follows the recent meeting between Prime Minister Barzani and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on May 22, 2025.

Read more: Prime Minister Barzani Meets U.S. Secretary of Energy

Safeen Dizayee also participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by the Middle East Institute (MEI), led by MEI President Stuart Jones and moderated by Kenneth Pollack. This discussion gathered experts from think tanks, academia, and government bodies to exchange perspectives on key issues facing the Kurdistan Region, including energy policy, relations with Baghdad and neighboring states, and the region’s strategic role in an evolving Middle East.

One of the attendees, Yerevan Saeed, Barzani Scholar in Residence at American University and Director of the Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace, highlighted the urgency of the KRG delegation’s visit to Washington to Kurdistan Chronicle. He noted that the delegation arrived in the United States following a series of relentless and coordinated attacks by Shi’a militia groups on Kurdistan’s vital energy infrastructure. These strikes have forced international oil companies to halt production, impacting over 200,000 barrels per day.

Since July 14, five oil fields in the Kurdistan Region, including two operated by U.S. companies, have been targeted in drone attacks. These assaults have caused significant damage to critical infrastructure, drawing strong condemnation from the KRG, the United States, the UK, and other nations.

Saeed emphasized that these attacks represent not only an economic and geopolitical blow to the Kurdistan Region, but also to U.S. interests in Iraq. “The delegation wants to inform the Trump administration that KRG is paying a hefty price for Kurdistan’s alliance with the United States, and for granting economic and investment opportunities to American companies,” Saeed explained. “Thus, Washington should try to help stop such attacks.”

In response to the escalating violence, the KRG has called upon both the Iraqi federal government and international partners to take decisive action to protect vital economic assets and ensure the safety of civilians.

Read more: Prime Minister Barzani Calls For End of Attacks on Kurdistan

The United States also condemned the attacks, calling on Iraqi authorities to prevent further violence against sites crucial for economic development. As investigations proceed, the situation underscores the ongoing challenges facing the Kurdistan Region amid rising tensions and insecurity. However, Saeed argues that “mere condemnations are no longer sufficient.” He noted that Washington’s repeated verbal rebukes, divorced from action, have failed to deter aggression. “Instead, these statements appear to have emboldened the militias, allowing them to escalate their operations, which now threaten Kurdistan’s autonomy and economic stability.” He stated.

From Saeed’s viewpoint the attacks challenge the core of the Trump administration’s stated foreign policy doctrine of commercial diplomacy and the protection of U.S. businesses abroad. As U.S.-affiliated companies in the Kurdish energy sector face significant losses, the broader credibility of American influence in Iraq is being tested.

Saeed pointed out that the interests of U.S.-affiliated companies operating in the Kurdish energy sector are currently under siege, “leading to significant losses and testing the broader architecture of American credibility in Iraq.” The KRG is urging the U.S. administration to leverage existing tools to re-establish deterrence. “This approach would not only align with the White House’s strategic interests, but also reinforce the sovereignty of the Iraqi federal government and strengthen the vital ties between the United States and Kurdistan at this critical juncture,” Saeed said.