Kurdistan
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani (right) received Archbishop Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, in Erbil province on October 16, 2025. Photo: Kurdistan Region Presidency
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Archbishop Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, on Thursday visited Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and expressed his gratitude to him and the Region for their support of the Christian community during difficult times.
The Patriarch and his delegation, which included bishops and priests from around the world, “expressed their gratitude to President Nechirvan Barzani and the Kurdistan Region for their support to the Christian community, particularly during difficult times and the displacement of Christians and other communities amid conflict. They also commended the spirit of coexistence among the communities in the Kurdistan Region,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
The Kurdistan Region opened its doors to people fleeing the Islamic State (ISIS) attacks in northern Iraq, including thousands of Christians, and provided humanitarian support. The Kurdish government’s response to the crisis has been widely praised by the international community.
During his meeting with the prominent Christian leader, President Barzani emphasized that Kurdistan Region “is a homeland for all, without distinction, and expressed pride in the spirit of coexistence,” adding that Erbil will continue to “foster, strengthen, and safeguard a culture of coexistence, tolerance, and pluralism.”
The Patriarch told Rudaw earlier this month that they always pray for Kurdish leaders, including President Barzani, for their support for Christians.
“They always make us feel a special concern for the followers of the church, especially those who were displaced. And we appreciate this, and we see that the followers of the church are comfortable here, so my relationship is a father-to-son relationship for those who are here,” he noted.
The Patriarch and his delegation, which included bishops and priests from around the world, “expressed their gratitude to President Nechirvan Barzani and the Kurdistan Region for their support to the Christian community, particularly during difficult times and the displacement of Christians and other communities amid conflict. They also commended the spirit of coexistence among the communities in the Kurdistan Region,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
The Kurdistan Region opened its doors to people fleeing the Islamic State (ISIS) attacks in northern Iraq, including thousands of Christians, and provided humanitarian support. The Kurdish government’s response to the crisis has been widely praised by the international community.
During his meeting with the prominent Christian leader, President Barzani emphasized that Kurdistan Region “is a homeland for all, without distinction, and expressed pride in the spirit of coexistence,” adding that Erbil will continue to “foster, strengthen, and safeguard a culture of coexistence, tolerance, and pluralism.”
The Patriarch told Rudaw earlier this month that they always pray for Kurdish leaders, including President Barzani, for their support for Christians.
“They always make us feel a special concern for the followers of the church, especially those who were displaced. And we appreciate this, and we see that the followers of the church are comfortable here, so my relationship is a father-to-son relationship for those who are here,” he noted.
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