Iraqi president says strikes on Kurdistan Region risk escalating tensions

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid said that attacks on the Kurdistan Region risk undermining regional stability during a call with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, his office said Friday.

During the call on Wednesday, Rashid condemned attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region, “warning that such actions undermine regional stability and heighten tensions,” according to the statement.

On Tuesday, six Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were killed and more than 20 others wounded in Iranian ballistic missile strikes targeting a base in Erbil province.

The attack came as the Kurdistan Region has for weeks been caught in the crosshairs of the Iran-Israel-US war, with Iraqi armed groups aligned with the Tehran-led “Axis of Resistance” carrying out more than 450 strikes on alleged American targets in the Region since the onset of the conflict on February 28, according to Rudaw tracking.

The assaults have continued despite repeated assurances from Kurdish leaders that the Region is not a party to the conflict and will not allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks against neighboring countries, including Iran.

Rashid said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) “remains cohesive and is taking firm measures to secure borders and prevent Iraqi territory from being used to fuel escalation or threaten neighboring countries, including Iran.”

He also reaffirmed Iraq’s “firm rejection of any military attacks on its territory, describing them as violations of sovereignty and a source of grave concern.”

Rashid relayed condolences to the Iranian leadership and people following the deaths of several leaders, “most notably Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as a number of unarmed civilians killed in military operations, including in an attack targeting a girls’ primary school.”

The United States and Israel launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran on February 28. United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper said Thursday that the operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, struck more than 10,000 targets across the country to “eliminate Iran’s ability to project power in meaningful ways beyond its borders.”

In response, Tehran has continued to carry out drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets in the region, particularly in Gulf Arab states, and has launched retaliatory attacks against Israel.

Rashid reiterated “Iraq’s firm rejection of war,” expressing deep concern over the escalating scope of the conflict. He called for an immediate cessation of military operations and urged dialogue as the primary means of resolving crises.

According to Rashid’s office, Pezeshkian “expressed appreciation for President Rashid’s remarks, reaffirming the deep-rooted historical ties between Iraq and Iran and his country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation and friendship between the two nations.”

The Iranian president also called for the “establishment of a regional union bringing together countries of the region to enhance economic and trade relations, promote genuine cooperation and partnership and expand channels of communication in support of development and regional stability,” the statement added.