Mark Kimmitt: PM Masrour Barzani to Meet Top American Leaders in Upcoming U.S. Visit
Kimmitt confirmed to Kurdistan24 that PM Barzani is expected to meet with senior American leaders, including members of Congress and officials from the State Department, Department of Defense, and Department of the Treasury.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Mark Kimmitt, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, said on Saturday that Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani will hold high-level meetings with top U.S. officials during an upcoming visit to Washington, emphasizing the strength of the Kurdish-American partnership and the importance of continued military cooperation with Peshmerga forces.
Speaking during Kurdistan24’s Eight O'clock news segment on Saturday, Kimmitt underlined that the United States remains a steadfast ally of the Kurdistan Region. “If there is ever a threat against the Kurdistan Region, America must take a firm position,” he said, calling the Region a close friend and strategic partner of the United States.
Kimmitt highlighted the long-standing partnership between the two sides, particularly in the fight against ISIS. “America stood by the Kurdistan Region during the war against ISIS. The Peshmerga fought heroically and played a decisive role in defeating the terrorist group,” he said.
Regarding U.S. military support to Kurdish forces, Kimmitt noted that if Washington chooses to send military aid to the Peshmerga but Baghdad tries to block direct deliveries, the U.S. should apply pressure to ensure that the support reaches Kurdish forces fully and unimpeded. “If Baghdad obstructs the full delivery of U.S. assistance to the Peshmerga, Washington must exert pressure so that the support reaches the Kurdish military directly,” he emphasized.
On Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s upcoming trip to the U.S., Kimmitt confirmed that Barzani is expected to meet with senior American leaders, including members of Congress and officials from the State Department, Department of Defense, and Department of the Treasury. “This visit will include important meetings that reaffirm the strategic nature of the Kurdistan Region's ties with Washington,” Kimmitt said.
The remarks come at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions in the region. The Kurdistan Region has long served as a key ally for the U.S. in the Middle East, playing a frontline role in counterterrorism operations and hosting American forces as part of the anti-ISIS coalition.
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s expected meetings in Washington signals a renewed effort to strengthen this partnership and address regional security concerns, particularly as the broader Middle East undergoes rapid political shifts.
