Middle East
Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw (center left) and Qazvin Governor Mohammad Nozari (center right) pose after signing a memorandum of understanding on April 29, 2025. Photo: Erbil governor's office
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The governors of the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil and Iran’s Qazvin provinces met on Tuesday to sign a memorandum of understanding to boost bilateral ties and strengthen economic cooperation.
The agreement, between Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw and Qazvin Governor Mohammad Nozari, “aims to strengthen good relations and enhance commercial and economic activity between Erbil and Qazvin,” said a statement from Khoshnaw’s office.
Per the memorandum, both provinces will facilitate investment and trade and send delegations to establish ties in the fields of industry, commerce, agriculture, tourism, technology, and health.
Khoshnaw also told Nozari that “Iran’s relationship with the Kurdistan Region is a historical, religious, and cultural relationship, and at all levels, the Kurdistan Region desires to advance these relations,” according to a separate statement from his office.
Iran and the Kurdistan Region enjoy good economic relations, sharing several border crossings. A large number of Iranian companies work in the Region’s various sectors.
Iran is also a major trading partner for Iraq. Since the overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have become two important destinations for Iranian goods.
In February, Iranian Consul General to Erbil Faramaz Asadi told Rudaw that Tehran and Erbil have shared “very strong and intertwined” relations since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979.
The agreement, between Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw and Qazvin Governor Mohammad Nozari, “aims to strengthen good relations and enhance commercial and economic activity between Erbil and Qazvin,” said a statement from Khoshnaw’s office.
Per the memorandum, both provinces will facilitate investment and trade and send delegations to establish ties in the fields of industry, commerce, agriculture, tourism, technology, and health.
Khoshnaw also told Nozari that “Iran’s relationship with the Kurdistan Region is a historical, religious, and cultural relationship, and at all levels, the Kurdistan Region desires to advance these relations,” according to a separate statement from his office.
Iran and the Kurdistan Region enjoy good economic relations, sharing several border crossings. A large number of Iranian companies work in the Region’s various sectors.
Iran is also a major trading partner for Iraq. Since the overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have become two important destinations for Iranian goods.
In February, Iranian Consul General to Erbil Faramaz Asadi told Rudaw that Tehran and Erbil have shared “very strong and intertwined” relations since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment