PM Barzani, Tom Barrack Discuss Oil Exports, Regional Developments in Phone Call
Ambassador Barrack conveyed President Trump’s greetings to Prime Minister Barzani and expressed appreciation for his readiness to cooperate with the federal government to resume oil exports through Turkey.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received a phone call on Tuesday evening from Ambassador Tom Barrack, Special Envoy of Donald Trump for Syria and the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
During the call, both sides reviewed the overall situation in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the broader region.
Ambassador Barrack conveyed President Trump’s greetings to Prime Minister Barzani and expressed appreciation for his readiness to cooperate with the federal government to resume oil exports through Turkey.
Barzani noted that discussions with Baghdad are ongoing and said he has directed the Kurdistan Region’s negotiating team to facilitate the resumption of oil exports, stressing the importance of the move for citizens amid current economic challenges.
He also underscored that the KRG is prepared to take all necessary measures to serve the public interest and called on the United States to continue its supervisory role in the negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad, particularly regarding customs and trade restrictions.
Both sides reaffirmed the importance of strengthening coordination and cooperation between the Kurdistan Region and the United States to support peace, security, and stability in the region.
I spoke with @USAMBTurkiye on the ongoing Erbil–Baghdad talks.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) March 17, 2026
On oil, I made clear that Kurdistan Region will allow the federal government to resume exports via our pipeline.
On the trade embargo, I urged our U.S. partners to continue supporting the negotiations as observers.