Kurdistan Prime Minister Meets Former CIA Director David Petraeus Amid Regional Security Talks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday welcomed General David Petraeus, former director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), for a high-level meeting in Erbil.

The discussion focused on the current security and political landscape of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, as well as broader developments across Syria and the Middle East.

During the talks, both sides emphasized the importance of preserving peace, stability, and security in the region.

The meeting comes amid fast-paced developments across Iraq and the Middle East, including ongoing security challenges, political transitions, and regional power shifts.

Both sides stressed the need for sustained cooperation to address threats such as terrorism, regional instability, and cross-border tensions, as well as to support economic and social development initiatives.

David Petraeus, a retired four-star U.S. Army general and former CIA director, is widely recognized for his expertise in Middle Eastern affairs and counterterrorism. He served as commander of U.S. forces in Iraq during the surge period (2007–2008), overseeing operations that significantly reshaped the country’s security environment.

Petraeus also played a key role in Afghanistan and has been a senior advisor on defense and security policy in the region for over a decade. His extensive experience in Iraq provides him with unique insights into the dynamics of Iraq’s federal government, the Kurdistan Region, and neighboring conflict zones.

The meeting is widely viewed as part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S.-Kurdish relations and coordinate strategies to address security challenges in Iraq and the surrounding region, particularly as neighboring conflicts in Syria and the wider Middle East continue to influence local dynamics.

The discussions are expected to inform ongoing intelligence-sharing, counterterrorism measures, and diplomatic coordination between the Kurdistan Region and international partners.

This high-level meeting in Erbil also comes in the broader context of U.S. diplomatic activity in the Middle East. On the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel, where he was involved in the release of the first group of Israeli hostages from Gaza and participated in ceremonies marking the historic Gaza ceasefire.

Later, Trump was scheduled to travel to Egypt to co-chair a regional peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, aimed at formally signing the Gaza peace plan he brokered between Hamas and Israel.

Petraeus’s discussions with Prime Minister Barzani can be seen as part of Washington’s coordinated regional strategy, linking security assessments in Iraq with broader U.S. efforts to stabilize the Middle East and support post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza.