President Masoud Barzani received on Monday, 23 February 2026, in Pirmam, Mr. Tom Barrack, the envoy of President Donald Trump for Syrian affairs and the United States Ambassador to Turkey, in a meeting attended by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, according to a statement issued by the official website of President Barzani.
The statement indicated that Barrack expressed his pleasure at meeting President Barzani and praised his role in preventing the expansion of wars and violence, as well as his efforts to calm recent developments in Syria and ensure the success of the recently concluded agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces.
The statement added that Barrack also pointed to the importance of benefiting from President Barzani’s wisdom and guidance in addressing Iraq’s problems and crises.
Wonderful wisdom from a legendary leader. https://t.co/bV2Kh0zN3m
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) February 24, 2026
According to the statement, Barrack emphasized that the United States wants Iraq to possess its full sovereignty, stressing the importance of maintaining partnership relations between the United States, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region.
The statement further explained that President Barzani highlighted the history and struggle of the Kurdish people and the crimes and genocides committed against them, noting that the Kurdish people have consistently sought peace and coexistence and have preferred resolving disputes away from violence.
Regarding Iraq, President Barzani stressed—according to the statement—the need to adhere to the Constitution and the principles of partnership, consensus, and balance in order for Iraq to move toward progress and prosperity. He emphasized that the interests of all Iraqi components lie in implementing the Constitution and ensuring that Iraq maintains its sovereignty and independent decision-making while establishing relations based on mutual interests with all its neighbors, in addition to maintaining partnership with the United States.
The statement noted that President Barzani reiterated that the next Iraqi government must remain committed to implementing the Constitution and the principles of federalism, and that the necessary laws and legislation should be enacted to address outstanding and critical issues related to the future of Iraq’s peoples and components, such as the Oil and Gas Law, Article 140, and legislation linked to implementing federal principles in the Iraqi state.
Regarding the position of President of Iraq, President Barzani explained, according to the statement, that since the post belongs to the Kurdish people, a fair and appropriate mechanism must be adopted to determine the presidential candidate in a manner that reflects the will of the Kurdish people.
As for the position of Iraq’s Prime Minister, he noted the need to prioritize Iraq’s national interests, explaining that the Coordination Framework would determine the candidate for the premiership, adding that it is important for the Prime Minister to remain committed to the Constitution and the principles of partnership, balance, and consensus.
The statement concluded by noting that the meeting also addressed the internal political process in the Kurdistan Region and developments across the region, where President Barzani expressed hope that regional issues would be resolved through peaceful means and kept away from further wars and violence.
Read the Arabic version: Click here
