President Barzani, French envoy stress need to maintain US-Iran ceasefire

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday stressed the importance of maintaining the two-week ceasefire between the United States, Israel, and Iran during a meeting with France’s Ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Dorrel.

“During the meeting, they exchanged views on the latest regional developments and the consequences of war on security and stability in the Middle East and globally. They also expressed hope for maintaining the ceasefire to end the conflict and achieve lasting peace,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

The United States and Israel in late February launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran, striking more than 23,000 targets across the country, according to official figures from Washington and Tel Aviv.

A Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire came into effect early last week, aiming to create space for negotiations between Washington and Tehran. While the first round of talks concluded on Sunday without an agreement, reports indicate that a second round could take place later this week.

During the meeting, President Barzani also praised Paris’ role, noting the efforts exerted by French President Emmanuel Macron in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as France’s continued support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

The two sides further discussed the political process in Iraq and the Region, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding among parties to resolve outstanding issues.

France’s Consul General in Erbil, Jan Brem, also attended the meeting.

France and the Kurdistan Region share longstanding ties, dating back to Paris’ support for the no-fly zone in the 1990s, which helped pave the way for the Region’s autonomy. France was also among the first countries to open a consulate in Erbil following the fall of longtime Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and has played a key role in supporting Kurdish forces in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in both Iraq and Syria.