President Barzani Meets French Foreign Minister Following Historic Paris Ceremony
President Barzani meets French FM after Paris ceremony dedicating "Peshmerga Street." Mayor Hidalgo honored Kurdish forces, calling it a historic act reflecting France-Kurdistan ties.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil, confirmed to Kurdistan24 that President Masoud Barzani will hold a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in Paris. The announcement comes on the same day that President Barzani presided over a historic ceremony in the French capital, where a street and park were dedicated in honor of the Peshmerga forces.
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President Masoud Barzani is currently in a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
This high-level discussion marks a significant moment for Kurdistan-France relations, focusing on strengthening diplomatic cooperation.
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Earlier on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, President Barzani, alongside Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, officially unveiled the “Path of the Peshmerga” at Parc André-Citroën. The ceremony was attended by a high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Region, veteran Peshmerga fighters, and numerous French and European officials, as well as academics and members of the Kurdish diaspora.
Speaking to Kurdistan24 from the Paris municipality building, President Barzani expressed his gratitude. “I am very happy that I have visited Paris and I thank the city’s municipal council,” he said, describing the unveiling of the Peshmerga plaque and the opening of the dedicated street as a “very important and historic act.”
The President underscored that the gesture reflects the “historic relationship of the people of Kurdistan and France” and vowed to continue strengthening those ties. “Naming a street in Paris with the name of Peshmerga is a great evidence of France’s giving importance to the Kurdish people,” Barzani declared. He concluded with a message to his nation: “Today is a very important and historic day and I congratulate the people of Kurdistan for this blessed ceremony and day.”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo warmly welcomed President Barzani, recalling their first meeting in 2015 during the height of the war against ISIS. “At that time, President Barzani warned me before I visited the border, and then I reached Erbil. This was a few months before the terrorist act of Paris,” she recounted.
“The President and the Peshmerga fought for the freedom of us all, as well as for all Kurds and the people of Kurdistan,” she declared. “With great joy, and for all the reasons mentioned, we have named this street in Paris the ‘Peshmerga Street.’ The story of the Peshmerga and President Barzani holds a very significant place in the history of the Kurdish people.”
Hidalgo added that she was pleased to once again host President Barzani, noting: “This is very special for me. Moreover, we maintain a strong relationship with the Kurdish community in Paris.”
The event reflected the long-standing friendship between France and the Kurdish people, which has deepened over decades through shared struggles for freedom and peace. France has repeatedly stood by the Kurds in critical moments, notably during the 1991 Kurdish exodus when Danielle Mitterrand, wife of former French President François Mitterrand, became a tireless advocate for Kurdish rights. Affectionately remembered as the “mother of the Kurds,” her legacy is honored in Kurdistan through schools, streets, and public places bearing her name.
Zuber Mayi, head of the French–Kurdish Friendship Association, described the dedication of the Peshmerga park and road in Paris as a historic victory. “It means the Peshmerga are the force and resistance of a nation,” he told Kurdistan24. He emphasized that such recognition by France, a permanent UN Security Council member, represents “the biggest victory for the struggle of the Kurdish nation.”
For Mayi, the naming of public landmarks in Paris after the Peshmerga stands as an acknowledgment that they are a patriotic army of Kurdistan, and he called on the Kurdish diaspora in France—many of whom are descendants of Anfal victims—to remain active in promoting the Kurdish cause. “Whenever we stop, we will be forgotten,” he warned.
The very name “Peshmerga,” meaning “those who face death,” embodies the Kurdish ethos of sacrifice and protection. This philosophy has deeply resonated with the French, who share a historical narrative of resistance and commitment to freedom.
As President Barzani prepares to meet French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot following the Paris ceremony, the occasion underscores both the historic recognition of the Peshmerga’s sacrifices and the strengthening of Kurdish–French ties on the diplomatic stage.
Friday’s dedication in Paris was not merely the naming of a street, but a celebration of shared history and values, reaffirming an enduring friendship built on mutual respect, resilience, and a common struggle for peace and justice.
