Kurdistan
President Masoud Barzani received Tom Barrack in Erbil on February 23, 2026. Photo: Barzani's office
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - President Masoud Barzani received US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack in Erbil on Monday, where they discussed a range of issues, including the formation of Iraq’s next government and the implementation of the constitution.
“Concerning the Iraqi premiership, he noted that while the Coordination Framework decides on its candidate, it is important that the prime minister adheres to the constitution and the principles of partnership, balance, and consensus,” read a statement from Barzani’s office.
Barzani, the former president of the Kurdistan Region, is the leader of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Iraq held parliamentary elections in November, but disputes between the KDP and its main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), over the Iraqi presidency — a post held by a Kurd since the 2003 US-led invasion — along with Washington’s opposition to Nouri al-Maliki’s candidacy for prime minister, have fueled uncertainty about the country’s political future.
President Barzani was among the leaders who congratulated Maliki last month following his nomination by the Shiite Coordination Framework for the premiership.
US President Donald Trump has openly opposed Maliki’s political return.
In a late January post on Truth Social, he described the prospect of a third Maliki term as a “very bad choice,” citing “poverty and total chaos” during his previous tenure. He warned that if Maliki returns to office, “the United States of America will no longer help Iraq.”
Maliki told AFP on Monday that he has “absolutely no intention” to withdraw from his candidacy “out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will.”
“No one has the right to say whom we can or cannot vote for,” he said.
Maliki served as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014, stepping down during his second term amid corruption allegations and worsening security crises linked to the rise of the Islamic State.
President Barzani told Trump’s envoy that “the future Iraqi government must commit to implementing the constitution and federal principles. He also called for legislation to address unresolved and important issues for Iraq’s future, such as the oil and gas law, Article 140, and other laws related to the implementation of federalism in Iraq,” read the statement from his office.
Barzani and Barrack also discussed the latest developments in Syria and broader regional issues.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also attended the meeting.
“Concerning the Iraqi premiership, he noted that while the Coordination Framework decides on its candidate, it is important that the prime minister adheres to the constitution and the principles of partnership, balance, and consensus,” read a statement from Barzani’s office.
Barzani, the former president of the Kurdistan Region, is the leader of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Iraq held parliamentary elections in November, but disputes between the KDP and its main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), over the Iraqi presidency — a post held by a Kurd since the 2003 US-led invasion — along with Washington’s opposition to Nouri al-Maliki’s candidacy for prime minister, have fueled uncertainty about the country’s political future.
President Barzani was among the leaders who congratulated Maliki last month following his nomination by the Shiite Coordination Framework for the premiership.
US President Donald Trump has openly opposed Maliki’s political return.
In a late January post on Truth Social, he described the prospect of a third Maliki term as a “very bad choice,” citing “poverty and total chaos” during his previous tenure. He warned that if Maliki returns to office, “the United States of America will no longer help Iraq.”
Maliki told AFP on Monday that he has “absolutely no intention” to withdraw from his candidacy “out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will.”
“No one has the right to say whom we can or cannot vote for,” he said.
Maliki served as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014, stepping down during his second term amid corruption allegations and worsening security crises linked to the rise of the Islamic State.
President Barzani told Trump’s envoy that “the future Iraqi government must commit to implementing the constitution and federal principles. He also called for legislation to address unresolved and important issues for Iraq’s future, such as the oil and gas law, Article 140, and other laws related to the implementation of federalism in Iraq,” read the statement from his office.
Barzani and Barrack also discussed the latest developments in Syria and broader regional issues.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also attended the meeting.
Barrack also met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, discussing "US relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the latest developments in Syria, and the political process in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region," according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
The US delegation Barrack was leading commended President Nechirvan Barzani for his "role in diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilizing the region, easing tensions, and supporting an agreement between Damascus and the SDF," added the statement, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Updated at 11:04 pm
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