US Reaffirms Support for Kurdistan Region Economic Ties and Energy Independence
“We believe U.S. and Iraqi interests are best served by having a strong, resilient Iraqi Kurdistan Region within a sovereign and prosperous federal Iraq,” Bruce concluded.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday reaffirmed Washington’s strong support for economic partnerships with the Kurdistan Region, highlighting Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s recent visit to the United States and the expanding role of U.S. companies in the Region’s energy sector.
Speaking at a press briefing, Bruce emphasized the importance of the Kurdistan Region in the broader U.S.-Iraq relationship and underscored the economic and strategic significance of ongoing cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad.
“Last week, we discussed some of the difficulties here,” Bruce said, “but—as I said then and it's worth repeating today—the United States supports economic deals that benefit all Iraqis, including the two announced last week.”
She noted that the U.S. encourages both Baghdad and Erbil to expand domestic gas production, describing such partnerships as crucial steps toward Iraq’s energy independence.
“U.S. oil companies have invested billions of dollars in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s oil sector,” Bruce added. “We hope to see additional investment from U.S. companies throughout Iraq.”
The comments come following a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on May 23 in Washington. During their talks, the two leaders explored opportunities to increase trade and investment between the United States and the Kurdistan Region.
Bruce said the Secretary commended Barzani for finalizing new agreements with U.S. companies to boost natural gas production in the Region, viewing them as a key step toward bolstering Iraq’s energy security.
In addition to economic issues, the two leaders also discussed the protection of religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria. Secretary Rubio reaffirmed U.S. support for a “strong and resilient” Kurdistan Region as a cornerstone of the U.S.-Iraq relationship.
“We believe U.S. and Iraqi interests are best served by having a strong, resilient Iraqi Kurdistan Region within a sovereign and prosperous federal Iraq,” Bruce concluded.
She also stressed that the U.S. remains committed to fostering economic ties and facilitating future investment, especially in the energy sector, to promote regional stability and prosperity.
