On Thursday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UN Climate Summit in Antalya, Türkiye, and underlined the importance of diplomatic solutions to regional tensions.

During the meeting, they discussed relations between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as ways to strengthen these ties and expand prospects for cooperation and coordination in various fields based on mutual interests, the Kurdistan Region Presidency’s readout said.

Both leaders stressed that wars and conflicts serve no one’s interests, and that dialogue, mutual understanding, and diplomatic solutions are the best ways to resolve problems and tensions.

Furthermore, both sides emphasized the importance of unifying the efforts of regional countries and strengthening cooperation and coordination among them to consolidate security and stability, achieve lasting peace, and serve the interests of all peoples in the region.

This comes amid efforts by Qatar, which is actively mediating between the United States and Iran, to end the war that started on February 28, when Israel and the United States struck Iran. During the war, the Kurdistan Region was subject to over 1,000 missile and drone attacks by Iranian-backed Iraqi factions and Iran.

Additionally, President Nechirvan Barzani met with Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan.

During this meeting, the two officials underscored the need for continued coordination to promote peace, security, and stability in the region.

President Nechirvan Barzani also met with Ibrahim Kalın, Head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization, during which they discussed bilateral relations and the importance of coordination among Ankara, Baghdad, and Erbil.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation in addressing shared challenges and safeguarding peace and stability.

President Nechirvan Barzani also met with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, during which they focused on relations between the EU, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region. 

Both sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability.

In addition to the Kurdistan Region Presidency delegation, another Kurdish delegation led by Bayan Sami Abdulrahman, Senior Advisor to Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Foreign Affairs and Climate Change, is attending the summit.

“The Kurdistan Region is contributing to Iraq’s delegation and bringing our priorities on water security, climate resilience, biodiversity and sustainable development to the global conversation,” Abdulrahman posted on X. 

“We are engaged in practical discussions and looking forward to partnerships that turn commitments into action.”