Iranian Officials Express Support for Efforts to Resolve Disputes Between Baghdad and Erbil

The President and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran emphasized their support for efforts to resolve disputes between the central government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region during their meetings on Sunday with Nechirvan Barzani, the Prime Minister of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Tehran on Saturday, February 20, as part of discussions with other countries regarding political, economic, cultural, and security issues. Reports indicate that in his meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the latter emphasized Iran's 'continuous support' for a 'unified and integrated' Iraq, while also stating that 'all ethnic groups in the region, including the Kurds of Iraq, must achieve their legitimate rights within the framework of the constitution and territorial integrity of these countries.' Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, also stated during his meeting with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region that the Islamic Republic will utilize all its capacities to 'resolve the obstacles ahead' and assist in the success of the dialogue process between Baghdad and Erbil. The Kurdistan Region held a referendum for independence from Iraq in early October of this year, with reports indicating that over 90% of participants voted in favor of separation from Iraq. This referendum heightened tensions between the central government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and both Iran and Turkey, which share borders with the Kurdistan Region, reacted strongly. Both countries temporarily closed their border crossings with the Kurdistan Region and allowed Iraqi forces to take control of these crossings through their territory. However, on Saturday, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region met with Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, for the first time since the referendum, with the main focus of the meeting being discussions on 'political and security situations and ways to resolve disputes.' Since the referendum, the central government of Iraq has banned international flights to the two main airports in the region and taken control of disputed areas, including Kirkuk and oil fields, which were the main source of income for the Kurdistan Region.