President Masouod Barzani reasserts Kurdistan Region not party to regional war

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - President Masoud Barzani on Tuesday reaffirmed that the Kurdistan Region is not involved in the ongoing regional war and is prioritizing stability and security, according to a statement from his office.

“In light of the latest regional developments,” the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) said, reaffirming that “the Kurdistan Region is not a party in the [Iran-Israel-US] war and always desires dialogue and peaceful solutions to problems.”

The statement released by Barzani Headquarters further quoted President Barzani as adding that “our priority is protecting the stability and security of Kurdistan,” stressing that the region is prepared to contribute to de-escalation efforts.

“The Kurdistan Region is ready to play any requested peaceful role to eliminate problems and maintain stability,” the preeminent Kurdish leader maintained.

The joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran entered its eleventh day on Tuesday, with bombardments largely targeting security and military installations as well as government institutions across the country.

US forces have struck more than 5,000 targets in the first ten days of Operation Epic Fury, the US Central Command said early Tuesday, noting that the campaign aims to dismantle Tehran’s security apparatus.

For its part, Iran said on Friday it had launched more than 2,000 drones and over 600 missiles targeting US and Israeli positions as part of its multi-front response to the campaign.

The Iranian response has also included attacks carried out by groups aligned with the Iran-led ‘Axis of Resistance,’ including shadowy armed groups that have in recent days targeted alleged US positions in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.

According to monitoring by Rudaw, as of noon local time on Tuesday, around 222 drone and missile attacks had been launched at the Kurdistan Region.
 
President Barzani on Tuesday voiced concern over the attacks targeting the Region, warning that “certain groups are attacking the Kurdistan Region on the sidelines of this regional conflict under baseless excuses.”

He stated that “the Iraqi government and the [ruling Shiite] Coordination Framework have been urged to put an end to the conduct of these outlaw groups,” the statement said.

President Masoud Barzani made his Tuesday remarks during a meeting with the head of the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) Salahadin Bahadin.

During the meeting, Bahadin highlighted the importance of coordination among Kurdish political forces as the regional situation grows increasingly volatile.

He emphasized that despite political differences between Kurdish parties, “the current situation demands a continuous exchange of views and coordination among political forces on sensitive issues.”

Bahadin also expressed appreciation for President Masoud Barzani’s role in championing Kurdish affairs across the region, thanking him for his “ongoing efforts to protect the Kurdish people in [northeast Syria] Rojava,” as well as his role in the peace process between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Turkish state.