On Friday, April 16, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived at the annual Antalya Forum in Turkey, which is taking place April 17-19, 2026, and met with several high-ranking leaders, including Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During the forum, President Nechirvan Barzani met with top leaders from the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, Jordan, the UK, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, and the United States.

On the first day of the Antalya Forum, President Nechirvan Barzani met with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi.

The talks centered on the longstanding historical relationship between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Jordan.

President Nechirvan Barzani met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and praised him for Pakistan’s critical role in facilitating the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

He also met with Luigi Di Maio, EU Special Representative for the Gulf Region, during which both officials emphasized the necessity of cooperation and continued efforts to ensure security and stability and strengthen economic and political partnerships.

President Nechirvan Barzani met with Hamish Falconer, UK Minister of State for the Middle East, where they discussed strengthening ties between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the UK, with discussions covering recent political developments and the ongoing government formation process in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. 

Both parties stressed that unity and solidarity among Kurdistani parties are essential to protecting past gains and navigating current challenges.

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President Nechirvan Barzani met with Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa, where they discussed the situation in Syria.

“I commended President Sharaa for his continued efforts to stabilize Syria and for the progress made in implementing the agreement with the [Syrian Democratic Forces],” President Nechirvan Barzani posted on X.

President Nechirvan Barzani also met with Tom Barrack, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria and Ambassador to Turkey, where they focused on developments in Syria and the situation of the Kurds within the country, as well as broader developments in the Middle East and the implications of the war on regional security.

“We discussed the state of relations between the United States, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region, and exchanged views on the latest regional developments,” President Nechirvan Barzani posted on X.

Both sides highlighted the impact of the war on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, stressing the urgent need for collaboration and sustained efforts to build lasting peace and uphold stability and security across the region.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

On the second day of the forum, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Turkey’s President Erdogan.

“We had a substantive discussion on strengthening cooperation between Türkiye, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region, and exchanged views on evolving dynamics across the region. We reiterated our shared commitment to advancing regional stability, prosperity, and collective security,” President Nechirvan Barzani posted on X.

During the meeting, they held in-depth discussions on strengthening Turkey’s cooperation with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and exchanged views on developments in the region.

“I thanked President Erdoğan for his leadership and continued efforts toward de-escalation and regional stability,” he concluded.

President Nechirvan Barzani also held a meeting with Turkey’s Minister of DefenseYasar Guler.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​, who commended the Kurdistan Region for distancing itself from regional conflicts, calling for broad coordination to preserve peace and stability.