On Thursday, President Masoud Barzani told Russia’s Consul General in Erbil Maxim Rubin that the Kurdistan Region has never supported war and believes that no problem can be solved through military conflict.

President Barzani also referred to the latest developments in the region, stating that the Kurdistan Region has never been, and will not be, part of the ongoing conflicts in the region and has not supported any military movement or war. 

“However, despite this clear stance, the [Kurdistan Region] has unfortunately suffered greatly, and due to widespread missile and drone attacks, a number of its citizens have been killed and injured,” President Barzani said.

Despite the U.S.-Iran ceasefire announced on April 8, attacks on the Kurdistan Region have continued. Since February 28, a total of 21 people have been killed in missile and drone strikes carried out on the Kurdistan Region by Iran and Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups.

During the meeting, President Barzani emphasized the importance of strengthening the historical ties between the Kurdistan Region and Russia, and Consul General Rubin reaffirmed the deep, strategic, and long-standing relations between his country and the Kurdistan Region.