Senior Islamic Dawa Party Delegation Arrives in Erbil for Talks with President Masoud Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A senior delegation from the Islamic Dawa Party arrived in Erbil on Friday evening, ahead of a scheduled meeting with President Masoud Barzani.

The delegation was received at Erbil International Airport by Dr. Kamal Kirkuki, member of the political bureau of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil province, and Dr. Arefat, representative of the Barzani Headquarters.

The visiting delegation includes several members of the party’s political bureau and senior leadership figures. It is headed by Dr. Abbas al-Bayati and includes Hassan al-Saneed, Dr. Kamal al-Saadi, Sadiq al-Bahadli, Dr. Amer al-Khuzaie, and Dr. Ahmed al-Mabriq.

During a brief meeting at the airport, both sides underscored the importance of strengthening relations in a manner that serves the public interest.

The Dawa Party delegation is scheduled to hold a meeting on Saturday with President Masoud Barzani, in addition to a series of important meetings and discussions with officials in the Kurdistan Region.

Objectives of the visit

Aqeel al-Rudaini, spokesperson for the Nasr Alliance, revealed to Kurdistan24 regarding the purpose and content of the high-level Dawa Party delegation’s visit to Erbil.

Al-Rudaini stated that prior to arriving in Erbil, the delegation had already held a series of meetings with Iraqi parties and senior US officials.

Explaining the primary objective of the visit to the Kurdistan Region, the Nasr Alliance spokesperson said: “The Dawa Party delegation wants to discuss the real reasons behind the rejection of Nouri al-Maliki as a candidate for prime minister by various parties.”

He added that the delegation specifically seeks an answer from Kurdish leadership to the question of whether “a specific message has reached the Kurds that unless Maliki is changed, the presidency post will not be resolved.”

Divisions within the Shiite house

Regarding internal dynamics, al-Rudaini acknowledged that divisions and disagreements among the parties of the Coordination Framework are intensifying.

He revealed that in the coming days, the framework’s parties will hold intensive meetings to settle the issue of the prime ministerial candidate.

Responding to a question about the possibility of nominating Haider al-Abadi as an alternative to Maliki, al-Rudaini said: “Haider al-Abadi has not personally requested to be nominated, but if that responsibility is entrusted to him, he is fully prepared to manage the next phase of governance and has his own vision for running the country.”

The developments place the Erbil visit within a broader political context, as discussions over the premiership and the presidency post unfold alongside internal deliberations within the Coordination Framework.

Updated on Feb. 20, 2025, at 11:17pm.