On Thursday, President Masoud Barzani received a delegation led by Haybat al-Halbousi, Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, who came to offer condolences to President Barzani after the passing of his elder brother, Abdulwahid Ibrahim Sheikh Abdulsalam Barzani.

The meeting addressed the general situation in Iraq and the threats and challenges facing the country in the coming period. Discussions also focused on the role and responsibilities of parliament and the political blocs in advancing the political process, as well as the upcoming vote for the 2027 Iraqi budget.

The meeting stressed the importance of adhering to the Constitution and supporting the federal government of Iraq and the country’s other state institutions in order to preserve Iraq’s stability, establish friendly and balanced relations with neighboring countries, and combat and eliminate corruption and the trafficking of narcotics throughout Iraq.

The delegation was also received by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. The officials discussed ways to further develop cooperation and coordination between political forces to overcome current obstacles and challenges, particularly the current security and economic situation in Iraq.

Moreover, both sides stressed the importance of supporting the federal government and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to advance the country’s financial situation, serve all citizens and components of Iraq without discrimination, and resolve issues with the Kurdistan Region on the basis of the Constitution and respect for the constitutional status of the Kurdistan Region.

In another part of the meeting, the preparations for the draft of the federal budget bill for 2027 were discussed. In this regard, Speaker al-Halbousi assured Prime Minister Barzani that the budget will be prepared in a fair manner and the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region and all components will be protected.

On Tuesday, a high-level delegation from the KRG arrived in Baghdad to discuss the Kurdistan Region’s rights and entitlements in the 2027 federal budget.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani also received the Iraqi delegation led by al-Halbousi, and the leaders discussed Halbousi’s recent visit to Türkiye and his meetings with the country’s president and senior officials. 

In this regard, President Nechirvan Barzani stressed the importance of Iraq’s relations with Türkiye, noting that expanding bilateral cooperation is in the interests of both sides.

On the issue of bringing weapons under state control, President Nechirvan Barzani reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s support for the prime minister and the federal government and for resolving the matter through dialogue and mutual understanding, in a way that ensures weapons are held exclusively by the state.