Iran president Pezeshkian visits Iraqi Kurdistan

Pezeshkian visits Erbil and Sulaimani

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan region, on Thursday.

This visit marks the first time an Iranian leader has traveled to the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, a development lauded by the regional president, Nechirvan Barzani, as a pivotal moment in relations between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Pezeshkian’s trip to Iraq, his first international visit since assuming office in July, is viewed as a step toward easing tensions that have marred relations between Iran and the Kurds in recent years.

These tensions reached a peak two years ago when Iranian forces launched airstrikes against Iranian Kurdish rebel groups in the region.

Upon his arrival in Erbil, Pezeshkian was welcomed with full honors. A red carpet reception, complete with Kurdish Peshmerga forces standing at attention, greeted the Iranian president as he stepped off the plane.

Regional President Nechirvan Barzani, who has long played a key role in fostering diplomatic ties, described the occasion as a “historic day” for the Kurdistan Region.

The visit was not merely ceremonial. Pezeshkian engaged in substantive talks with Kurdistan’s Prime Minister, Masrour Barzani, and veteran Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

According to a statement from Pezeshkian’s office, he expressed optimism about enhancing economic and commercial cooperation with the Kurdistan region, signaling a potential new chapter in cross-border relations.

Following his engagements in Erbil, Pezeshkian made his way to the Kurdish city of Sulaimani, a stronghold of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the KDP’s historical political rival. Sulaimani holds strategic importance due to the influence of the Talabani family and the PUK.

At Sulaimani International Airport, Pezeshkian was received by PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani and a delegation of high-ranking officials from the party.

His visit to Sulaimani included a symbolic stop at the grave of former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a revered figure in Kurdish politics. Pezeshkian paid his respects by laying a wreath and signing a tribute in the memorial book.

During his time in Sulaimani, he reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing political, economic, and scientific ties between Iran and the Kurdistan region. The PUK maintains strong and longstanding ties with Iran.

This diplomatic outreach comes at a delicate time, as the Kurdistan region remains divided both politically and geographically between two dominant forces—the KDP, led by the Barzani family, and the PUK, helmed by the Talabanis.

The Barzani family maintains authority over Erbil and Duhok governorates, while the Talabani-led PUK controls Sulaimani.

Each party operates its own independent security forces, and neither exerts influence in the other’s territories. Despite these internal divisions, Pezeshkian’s visit suggests a unified effort to strengthen ties with Iran across both factions.

Pezeshkian arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday for the first leg of his three-day trip. During that visit, over a dozen agreements were signed to deepen cooperation between Iraq and Iran, underscoring the importance both nations place on fostering stronger diplomatic and economic partnerships.

Pezeshkian’s visit to Iraqi Kurdistan occurs against the backdrop of increased tensions in the Middle East, particularly due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

The conflict has complicated relations in the region, especially between Iran and the United States, with Iraq caught in the crosshairs of broader geopolitical struggles. Iran’s support for armed groups involved in the Gaza conflict has heightened the urgency for Iraq to balance its relations with both Tehran and Washington.

Despite past tensions, including Iran’s accusations of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups using Iraqi Kurdistan as a base for launching attacks, relations between Tehran and Erbil have notably improved in recent months.

Iranian-Kurdish rebel groups, once a major point of contention, have been largely neutralized through a series of security agreements. These accords have been instrumental in improving security conditions along the border and quelling Iranian concerns over armed resistance groups operating in the region.

In a meeting attended by Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, President Barzani reiterated the Kurdistan region’s desire to strengthen relations with Iran.

He also emphasized that the region would never pose a security threat to its neighbors, referencing the recent security pact between Iraq and Iran aimed at curbing rebel activity.

This agreement, signed last year, obliges Iraq to disarm these groups and relocate them away from the border, a commitment Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani affirmed during Pezeshkian’s visit.

Before departing Iraqi Kurdistan region, Pezeshkian continued his diplomatic tour, landing in the Shiite holy city of Najaf. There, he is expected to visit sacred shrines, including those in Najaf and Karbala, further cementing ties between Iran and key religious figures in Iraq.

Pezeshkian’s visit signals a new chapter in Iranian-Kurdish relations, one grounded in diplomacy and mutual interests.

With both sides expressing a desire to enhance cooperation, the visit may pave the way for deeper political and economic engagement between Iran and the Kurdistan region, even as the broader Middle East faces continued volatility.

It also needs to be mentioned that since its establishment in 1979, the Islamic regime in Iran has enforced discriminatory policies and laws against its own Kurds in Iranian Kurdistan, affecting their social, political, and economic rights.

Kurds in Iran face significant discrimination in accessing religious, economic, and cultural freedoms. For example, Kurdish parents are prohibited from registering their children with specific Kurdish names, and religious minorities, often of Kurdish origin, are subjected to practices that aim to stigmatize and isolate them.

Additionally, Kurds encounter barriers in employment, housing, and political participation, leading to widespread poverty and further marginalization. It is estimated that over 12 million Kurds reside in Iranian Kurdistan.