President Masoud Barzani received a delegation from the U.S. Embassy in Iraq on Tuesday and underlined his commitment to promoting coordination with other parties in order to form a strong federal government in Baghdad.

The delegation was headed by Joshua Harris, Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and the meeting was also attended by Gwendolyn Green, U.S. Consul General in Erbil. 

During the meeting, Charge d’Affaires Harris congratulated President Barzani and the people of Kurdistan on the New Year. The two officials discussed Iraq’s political process following the parliamentary elections, including relations among Iraqi political parties and ongoing efforts to form a unified federal government. 

In a post on X, the U.S. Consulate General underlined that Charge d’Affaires Harris “spoke about the importance of safeguarding Iraqi sovereignty, bolstering regional security, and strengthening mutually beneficial economic ties … [and] reiterated that Iran-backed terrorist militias that flout Iraqi calls for disarmament have no place in Iraq’s government in any capacity.

“The United States will continue to speak clearly and consistently to the urgency of Iraqi action to dismantle terrorist militias pursuing a foreign agenda that undermines Iraq’s sovereignty, impoverishes Iraq, threatens Americans and Iraqis, and draws Iraq into regional conflict.”

Iraq held parliamentary elections on November 11, 2025. However, a new government has not yet been formed, as parliament has not elected a president and no decision has been made on who will become the next Iraqi prime minister.President Barzani reaffirmed his commitment to promoting coordination and cooperation among political parties to achieve satisfactory outcomes and form a strong federal government. 

#CDA Harris met with KDP President @masoud_barzani. They spoke about the importance of safeguarding Iraqi sovereignty, bolstering regional security, and strengthening mutually beneficial economic ties. The CDA reiterated that Iran-backed terrorist militias that flout Iraqi calls… pic.twitter.com/JMwedJm7Na

— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USCGERBIL) January 13, 2026

He also emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to overcome political obstacles and disputes, as well as addressing outstanding issues between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government.

Furthermore, President Barzani reiterated that problems in Syria should be resolved through peaceful means, dialogue, and mutual understanding, rather than violence.

Charge d’Affaires Harris also discussed regional developments – particularly tensions in Syria – and commended President Barzani’s continued efforts to support Iraq’s political process and to help ease instability in Syria.

Between January 5 and January 11, heavy clashes took place between Kurdish forces and Syrian government forces in Aleppo. The fighting in Aleppo ended following international mediation and the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters and civilians from the Kurdish neighborhoods. However, clashes continued, and on Tuesday the Syrian government declared a military zone in Dayr Hafir.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the recent conflict in Aleppo has killed 105 people, including 45 civilians – eight of them women and five children – and 59 combatants on both sides. These figures could not be independently verified, and several media outlets have reported different statistics.

The U.S. delegation also met with KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. The officials discussed further strengthening bilateral relations, the general situation in Iraq, and the ongoing negotiations among political parties to form the new federal government.

They agreed on the importance of respecting the Kurdistan Region’s constitutional and federal status, ensuring its rightful financial entitlements, and the federal government’s continued release of salaries for the Kurdistan Region’s public employees, including the salaries for November and December of last year.

Charge d’Affaires Harris reiterated his country’s support for the Kurdistan Region, particularly the KRG’s reforms across various sectors. He noted that the Kurdistan Region is a strong and important partner and ally of the United States in the region.

Prime Minister Barzani also expressed his gratitude for the United States’ continued cooperation and support.