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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani held a phone call on Tuesday, discussing border security, economic ties, and the ongoing regional conflict, according to statements from both sides.
Talabani said he and Araghchi "discussed the longstanding strategic relationship" between the PUK and Iran, reaffirming "their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation based on mutual interests, good neighborliness, and regional stability."
"Both sides exchanged views on the latest security, political, and economic developments in the region and discussed pathways toward ending the current crisis," a statement from Talabani noted, adding that the Iranian foreign minister invited him "to visit Tehran for further discussions on the security and economic implications of the conflict, both regionally and internationally."
The Kurdistan Region has been caught up in wider regional instability since February 28, when the US and Israel launched an aerial military campaign against Iran, triggering a direct conflict that lasted nearly six weeks.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani told Al Jazeera earlier this week that the Region has come under more than a thousand drone and missile attacks by Iran and its proxies in Iraq since the outbreak of the conflict.
According to Rudaw tracking, the attacks have killed 32 people and wounded 154 others. In addition to members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups and US-led coalition personnel, those killed include at least nine civilians, as well as members of the Peshmerga and local security forces.
Hostilities between Washington and Tehran have persisted despite a Pakistani-brokered ceasefire in April. Two months later, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding to extend the truce and facilitate negotiations on key disputes, including maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Both agreements are no longer in effect.
Talabani commended Araghchi for his "continued diplomatic efforts and constructive role in seeking a peaceful end to the conflict and contributing to broader stability."
Meanwhile, Iran's foreign ministry said Araghchi stressed "the expansion of economic and trade ties, stronger security coordination along the shared borders, and cooperation in combating terrorism."
"The two sides also stressed the need to strengthen security coordination and cooperation to safeguard their shared borders, ensure stability in border areas, and effectively counter terrorist threats in accordance with the security agreement between Iran and Iraq,” the Iranian statement added.
Iran and Iraq signed a security agreement in March 2023 aimed at disarming Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region and relocating them away from the Iranian border. The groups have since been resettled in camps near Erbil and Sulaimani.
