On Saturday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met several senior leaders, including U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC).

According to the readout from the Kurdistan Region Presidency, during the meeting between Barzani and Secretary of State Rubio, both sides focused on the relationship between the United States and Iraq, as well as the Kurdistan Region, and explored opportunities for cooperation.

Barzani conveyed his appreciation for the support provided by the United States to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Secretary of State Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and commended the Kurdistan Region for its role as a vital partner and a stabilizing force.

Furthermore, during a separate meeting with the U.S. congress delegation led by Senator Graham, Barzani conveyed the Kurdistan Region’s appreciation for the continued support of the United States and Congress for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

“I am pleased to meet my friend, Senator Lindsay Graham and his congressional delegation,” the Kurdish leader posted on X. “I’m grateful for the role of the U.S. Congress in supporting peace and stability in our region.”

During the meeting, they also discussed the rights of the Syrian Kurds, and both sides underscored the importance of safeguarding the rights of the Kurds and other communities within a unified Syria.

Last month, Senators Graham and Richard Blumenthal introduced the Save the Kurds Act with the aim to protect Syrian Kurds. On Sunday, Senator Graham told the Kurdish journalist Duzen Tekkal that he had introduced the legislation to punish any country that supported military movement into the Kurdish areas in Syria.

Barzani also met with Allison Hooker, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, who commended President Barzani’s contributions to the agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and reaffirmed her country’s commitment to supporting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, as well as resolving the issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

Barzani also held a meeting with Syria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad al-Shaibani to discuss the importance of safeguarding the rights of all communities.

Minister al-Shaibani commended the leadership of the Kurdistan Region for its role in the agreement between Damascus and the SDF, its support for refugees, and its commitment to maintaining stability in the region.

Barzani expressed his wishes for success, peace, and stability for Syria and underscored the importance of ensuring Kurdish rights in the future constitution of a unified Syria.

On Saturday, Secretary of State Rubio held a meeting with Minister al-Shaibani, SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi, and Co-chair of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Kurdish Autonomous Administration Elham Ahmed at the MSC.

Additionally, the Kurdistan Region President had meetings with several European leaders, including the Netherlands’ Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans, in which they focused on enhancing the relationship between the Netherlands and Iraq. During the meeting, President Barzani expressed gratitude to the Netherlands for its sustained support for the Kurdistan Region.

Barzani also met with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, where they focused on the EU’s relations with both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

“We value our longstanding good cooperation with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region,” von der Leyen posted on X. “We welcome your efforts on de-escalation in Northeast Syria, dialogue and humanitarian passage.”

Barzani also met with Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, during which Minister Sikorski commended the Kurdistan Region’s role in the region and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to furthering relations with both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Furthermore, Barzani met with Nils Schmid, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence of Germany, during which President Barzani conveyed the Kurdistan Region’s gratitude for Germany.

Barzani also met with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, in which he highlighted the situation of refugees in the Kurdistan Region and emphasized the importance of continued support from the UN for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Additionally, Barzani met with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, where Secretary-General Aboul Gheit underlined the Arab League’s commitment to supporting peace and stability in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Lastly, Barzani met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, who commended the atmosphere of tolerance and coexistence present in the Kurdistan Region and conveyed the Holy See’s commitment to supporting peace and stability in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.