Prime Minister Masrour Barzani receives former Iraqi PM Al-Kadhimi in Erbil
The KRG prime minister welcomed Mustafa Al-Kadhimi for discussions on Iraq's general situation and Erbil-Baghdad relations, as the diplomatic momentum from a landmark two-day Baghdad visit continues to build.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Kurdistan Region Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Erbil on Monday, in a meeting that addressed the general situation in Iraq and the broader region, as well as the current state of relations between the Kurdistan Region Government and the federal government in Baghdad.
The two sides also discussed Barzani's recently concluded visit to the Iraqi capital, during which he held talks with senior federal officials and major political forces, with the stated aim of resolving outstanding issues in a fundamental manner and within the framework of the Iraqi constitution.
A two-day diplomatic marathon in Baghdad
Monday's Erbil meeting came directly on the heels of an intensive two-day engagement in Baghdad that saw Barzani lead a senior KRG delegation through a series of high-level consultations spanning Iraq's executive, legislative, judicial, and political spheres.
On Saturday, Barzani held a primary meeting with newly appointed federal Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi, with discussions focused on establishing constitutional frameworks for revenue-sharing, budget allocations, and technical cooperation on oil operations and border crossings. He also held deep-dive talks with some of Iraq's most prominent political figures, including Abdulhussein al-Moussawi of the Nahj Alliance, Muthanna al-Samarrai of the Azm Alliance, Mohammed al-Halbousi of the Taqadum Party, Hadi al-Amiri of the Badr Organization, Mohsen al-Mandalawi of the Al-Asas Coalition, Haider al-Abadi of the Al-Nasr Coalition, Ahmed al-Asadi of the Somaroon Movement, and Falih al-Fayyadh of the Popular Mobilization Framework.
Strategic sessions were also held with Judge Faiq Zaidan, president of the Supreme Judicial Council, and Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, covering judicial independence and upcoming federal legislation. Throughout every engagement, Barzani consistently reaffirmed that any durable settlement must rest on full respect for the Iraqi constitution, the preservation of the Kurdistan Region's federal status, and the principles of genuine partnership, balance, and consensus.
On Sunday, as Kurdistan24 reported, Barzani continued his consultations with federal leaders and political parties, with discussions focusing on the same core files, civil servant salaries, budget allocations, oil revenue mechanisms, and the implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution on disputed territories.
Wide Iraqi praise for the visit
The Baghdad meetings drew a notably broad and positive response from Iraqi officials across political and geographic lines. As Kurdistan24 reported on Sunday, Basra Governor Asaad Al-Eidani said Barzani's visit "will have a direct impact on preventing disputes and will serve as a foundation for resolving all outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad." Al-Eidani called on other Iraqi cities to study the Kurdistan Region's development model and pointed to the Development Road project and the Grand Faw Port as avenues through which the Kurdistan Region could become a primary corridor to Türkiye and an international export platform.
Mohamed Abbas al-Taei, spokesperson for the Siyada Alliance, described the Kurdistan Region as "a great model of progress and civilization" and said the meetings had produced a strong level of mutual understanding, urging the federal government to deal with the Kurdistan Region "clearly and as a genuine partner." Mohammed Hussam of the Hikma Movement offered the most optimistic framing, telling Kurdistan24 that the issues between Erbil and Baghdad "are not problems in the true meaning of the word, they are only a few legal and administrative matters that can be resolved easily."
Public confidence back home
The diplomatic activity in Baghdad and Erbil has been closely watched across the Kurdistan Region, where public expectations have been running high. As Kurdistan24 reported on Saturday, citizens expressed strong confidence in Barzani's ability to break through deadlocks that have resisted resolution for years. Hejar Faris, a citizen in Erbil, told Kurdistan24 that the public had reached "the conviction that His Excellency Masrour Barzani personally can solve all the pending issues between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region," adding that great hopes had been placed on the results of the trip. Kamaran Mohammed, a member of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce, called the visit "another step toward strengthening political and economic relations," while Abdullah Akram, Deputy Head of the Jewelers Union, said citizens were waiting for agreements to be put in writing, not merely promised.
Monday's meeting with Al-Kadhimi, one of the most experienced figures in recent Iraqi political life, reflects the sustained and widening diplomatic engagement that Barzani has been conducting across Iraq's political landscape. Whether the constitutional framework he has championed in every meeting will translate into concrete, implemented agreements remains the central question, one that the Kurdistan Region, and much of Iraq, is watching closely.
SUMMARY: KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received former Iraqi PM Mustafa Al-Kadhimi in Erbil on Monday, discussing Iraq's general situation and Erbil-Baghdad relations, following a landmark two-day diplomatic visit to Baghdad.