Iran maintains strategic relations with Kurdistan Region: Parliamentary Speaker

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Iranian Parliamentary Speaker stated that his country would maintain the strategic relations with the Kurdistan Region.

On Sunday, a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation headed by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani met with Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani in Tehran, discussing bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iran, and other developments in the region.

According to a statement by the KRG, Larijani recognized the long-standing friendship and historical relations between the two nations and expressed his concerns over tensions between Erbil and Baghdad.

Larijani hoped that all issues between the KRG and the Iraqi Federal Government would be resolved through dialogue and on the basis of the constitution. The Iranian official stressed that constitutional rights of the people of the Kurdistan Region, and all of Iraq’s components, must be maintained, the KRG statement added.

Larijani also expressed his country’s support for recent talks between Erbil and Baghdad on outstanding issues.

For his part, KRG PM Barzani reiterated that the Kurdistan Region has always been a factor of stability in the region.

According to a statement released by the Iranian Parliament, Larijani told the KRG delegation that Iran has close and brotherly relations with their “Kurdish brothers” and that the Kurdistan Region’s security is an important matter to Iran.

“We have strategic relations with the Kurdistan Region and will maintain such valuable relations,” Larijani said.

The KRG delegation arrived in Tehran on Saturday and met with Iranian officials, including Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday.

Editing by Nadia Riva