On Thursday Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, while welcoming the recent Erbil-Baghdad agreement on salaries and oil exports, called for an end to the attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region, particularly its oil fields.

“We hope the federal government will help identify the perpetrators of these violations and take legal action against them,” he said.

Read More: Attacks on Kurdistan Are Unacceptable: U.S.

There have been several drone attacks by suspected Iranian-backed armed groups on at least six oil fields, including those operated by U.S. oil companies, in the Kurdistan Region since July 14. The drone attacks have been heavily condemned by the United States and by the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources.

U.S. Republican representative Joe Wilson in a post on X on Thursday said that “attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi militias against U.S. forces and American oil companies in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will not be tolerated.”

Prime Minister Barzani also noted that “following numerous efforts and rounds of dialogue – today, the federal Council of Ministers approved a mutual understanding between the KRG and the federal government” on oil exports and salaries.

“I hope that salaries and financial entitlements – which are a legitimate right of the people of Kurdistan – will no longer be subject to any problem or dispute, and that we can resolve our issues within the framework of the Constitution and with respect for existing agreements,” Prime Minister Barzani said on Thursday.

“We welcome this step and expect the federal government to send the salaries and rightful financial entitlements of the Kurdistan Region.”

Since last month, there have been discussions between Baghdad and Erbil to resume the Kurdistan Region’s halted oil exports via Iraq’s state oil agency, suspended since 2023 after an international arbitration ruling.

Moreover, the KRG had discussions on Baghdad releasing May and June salaries for public employees, after Iraq’s Ministry of Finance suspended salaries to KRG employees for this year in May.

According to the deal, the Kurdistan Region is to deliver 230,000 barrels of oil per day and 120 billion Iraqi dinars monthly from non-oil revenues to the Iraqi government in exchange for the payment of the salaries of government employees after a pay suspension of nearly 80 days.

“I have great appreciation for the resilience and patience of the people of Kurdistan,” Prime Minister Barzani said.