Peshmerga Participate in U.S.-Iraq Strategic Talks to Strengthen Long-Term Security Cooperation
Peshmerga forces join high-level U.S. strategic talks with Iraq, focusing on long-term security cooperation and counter-terrorism. The dialogue follows a $343M U.S. congressional allocation for partner forces, reinforcing the Kurdistan Region's role.
Erbil (Kurdistan24) – In a significant development reflecting the depth of U.S.-Iraq-Kurdistan Region defense relations and the Peshmerga’s active role within that framework, the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga Forces have joined high-level strategic talks between Iraq and the United States aimed at reinforcing long-term security cooperation and counter-terrorism coordination.
The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Peshmerga announced on Friday, that Iraq and the United States have officially launched a new round of bilateral discussions, with the participation of Lieutenant General Issa Ozeir, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Peshmerga.
According to the statement, “The Iraqi Armed Forces Command issued a communiqué stating that a new round of discussions between the United States and Iraq has begun. Within this framework, senior officials from both countries held a technical meeting on Nov. 6, 2025, to discuss the future of bilateral relations, with the participation of Lieutenant General Issa Ozeir, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Peshmerga.”
The Ministry emphasized that representatives from both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government of Iraq, alongside senior military and security officials, will continue consultations in the coming months to enhance long-term security cooperation. The talks, it said, aim to consolidate coordination in combating terrorism, and to build and strengthen the institutional capacities of Iraq’s security and intelligence forces, including the Asayish and Peshmerga.
The statement reaffirmed that “this cooperation seeks to advance shared interests, protect Iraq’s sovereignty, and eradicate terrorism.”
The renewed dialogue comes just weeks after the U.S. Congress approved $343 million in direct funding for American-verified partner forces in Iraq and Syria as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), underscoring Washington’s long-term commitment to counter-terrorism and regional stability.
Passed by a wide bipartisan margin of 77 to 20 votes, the $925 billion defense package allocates resources for the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), which continues to advise and support Iraqi and Kurdish partner forces in the ongoing mission to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.
Of the total $358 million designated under the Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF), more than $213 million will be directed toward Iraq’s security institutions, including the Peshmerga, with an additional $130 million allocated to partner forces in Syria.
The NDAA document stresses that the U.S. mission in Iraq and Syria remains focused on sustainable partnerships and the development of local forces’ self-sufficiency in maintaining security. It highlights that American engagement is not limited to direct military assistance but also includes “critical contingencies and operational support,” covering anti-drone systems, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) technologies, logistical aid, and medical and technical infrastructure.
The new round of U.S.-Iraq-Peshmerga coordination builds on more than a decade of close security cooperation under the CJTF-OIR umbrella. The talks aim to expand joint mechanisms for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and the prevention of ISIS’s re-emergence in disputed and vulnerable territories.
The United States continues to emphasize that Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are central to its broader regional counter-terrorism strategy. In this framework, the Peshmerga’s inclusion in the current round of bilateral talks reflects Washington’s recognition of the Kurdish forces as a pillar of regional stability and an indispensable partner in maintaining security across northern Iraq.
The participation of the Peshmerga in the ongoing U.S.-Iraq strategic discussions represents both a practical and symbolic reaffirmation of the Kurdistan Region’s role as a reliable ally within in the war against ISIS.
