Iran FM to visit Kurdistan Region during trade visit to Iraq
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iran’s foreign minister will soon stop in the Kurdistan Region during a trip to Iraq that is aimed at boosting economic ties, confirmed an official.
"Mohammed Javad Zarif, within the framework of his visit to Iraq, will have a stop in the Kurdistan Region as well," Saadullah Masudyan, the Iranian consulate general in Sulaimani, confirmed to Rudaw.
Iran is Iraq’s largest trading partner.
Iran is the Kurdistan Region’s second largest trading partner after Turkey.
The aim of Zarf’s visit is to strengthen ties with the new Iraqi government and the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Iranian media outlets say Zarif will first set off to India and then to Iraq.
"Iran has a good history in creating security and restoring peace to Iraq and Syria and even Yemen," he said.
Zarif's last visit to the Kurdistan Region was in October 2017 when he went to the funeral of Jalal Talabani, the former Iraqi president and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader.
Iraq’s exemption to US-imposed sanctions on Iran expired at the end of 2018. It is unlikely that Baghdad and Erbil are able to fully abide by the sanctions because of the tremendous and longstanding relations between the economies.
"Mohammed Javad Zarif, within the framework of his visit to Iraq, will have a stop in the Kurdistan Region as well," Saadullah Masudyan, the Iranian consulate general in Sulaimani, confirmed to Rudaw.
Iran is Iraq’s largest trading partner.
"The agenda of his visit is to bolster relations between us and the people of Iraq in order to set mechanisms to develop economic relations for the benefit of the two sides," Masudyan said. “God willing, there is going to be a meeting with businessmen and influential Iraqi Kurdish figures next week in Sulaimani."
Iran is the Kurdistan Region’s second largest trading partner after Turkey.
The aim of Zarf’s visit is to strengthen ties with the new Iraqi government and the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Iranian media outlets say Zarif will first set off to India and then to Iraq.
Bahram Ghasemi, spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said the tour is to reaffirm Tehran's friendship and commitment towards its neighbors.
"Iran has a good history in creating security and restoring peace to Iraq and Syria and even Yemen," he said.
Zarif's last visit to the Kurdistan Region was in October 2017 when he went to the funeral of Jalal Talabani, the former Iraqi president and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader.
Iraq’s exemption to US-imposed sanctions on Iran expired at the end of 2018. It is unlikely that Baghdad and Erbil are able to fully abide by the sanctions because of the tremendous and longstanding relations between the economies.