President Nechirvan Barzani: Kurdistan Region will not be a threat to Iran or neighbours

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday reaffirmed that the Kurdistan Region will not allow its territory to be used as a threat against Iran or other neighboring states, while urging the federal government in Baghdad to put an end to attacks carried out by outlawed armed groups targeting the region.

Barzani made the remarks during a high-level security and military meeting held in Erbil on Tuesday, which he chaired in his capacity as President of the Kurdistan Region and commander-in-chief of the Peshmerga Forces.

According to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency, the meeting reviewed the security implications of the escalating regional conflict and assessed emerging threats.

Several new security decisions and directives were issued aimed at safeguarding stability in the Kurdistan Region and guiding how institutions should respond to ongoing developments.

The meeting was attended by Deputy President Sheikh Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa, along with the Kurdistan Region’s ministers of Peshmerga Affairs and Interior, senior military commanders, and top Peshmerga officials.

During the discussions, Barzani reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s official position that it will not become part of the ongoing regional wars and confrontations, stressing that maintaining internal stability and security remains a top priority.

He also emphasized that the Kurdistan Region will not allow its territory to become a source of threat or danger to Iran or any neighboring country.

At the same time, the meeting strongly condemned recent drone and missile attacks carried out by what the statement described as “outlawed groups in Iraq,” which have targeted the Kurdistan Region and caused casualties and material damage.

In this regard, the presidency called on the federal government of Iraq to fulfill its responsibility by preventing such attacks and identifying and prosecuting those responsible.

The statement stressed that these assaults constitute a clear violation of national sovereignty and pose a serious threat to overall stability.

The meeting concluded by expressing condolences to the families of victims killed in the attacks and praising the dedication and vigilance of the Peshmerga forces and security institutions for their continued efforts to protect the people and territory of the Kurdistan Region.

The meeting comes at a time of heightened instability across Iraq and the wider Middle East as the ongoing confrontation involving the United States and Israel on one side and Iran and its allied forces on the other continues to escalate.

In recent weeks, the conflict has triggered a series of drone and missile attacks across the region, including strikes by Iran-backed militias targeting sites in Iraq, particularly the Kurdistan Region.

These developments have raised concerns that Iraq could become an arena for broader regional confrontation, prompting Kurdish leaders to stress neutrality and call on the federal government in Baghdad to prevent armed groups operating outside state control from dragging the country further into the escalating conflict.

[Source: Kurdistan 24 English]