President Barzani: The Peshmerga Will Remain As Long As Kurdistan Exists

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - KDP President Masoud Barzani delivered a historic message to the people of Kurdistan on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the final day of the international coalition's mission in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, reassuring citizens that the Peshmerga remain fully ready, that strong coordination with the Iraqi federal government is in place to confront any threat, and that anyone who believes the coalition's departure leaves Kurdistan vulnerable is gravely mistaken.

"In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," President Barzani opened his message. "As everyone is aware, today, September 30, 2026, is the final day of the coalition forces' mission in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, in accordance with the agreement between the coalition forces and the Iraqi federal government. The coalition supported Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga in the war against terrorism and in restoring and strengthening stability in Iraq."

President Barzani honored the coalition's contribution and its sacrifice. "During their presence, the coalition forces provided enormous assistance to Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga and even made great sacrifices," he said. "Now, after the conclusion of their mission, it remains for the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, in accordance with the circumstances and for the purpose of preserving stability, to enter into bilateral agreements with allied nations."

"Here it is appropriate to thank the efforts and sacrifice of the coalition forces. Their role in defeating ISIS and restoring stability to Iraq deserves great appreciation and respect," President Barzani said. "We also send our greetings to the pure souls of all the Peshmerga martyrs, Iraqi forces, and coalition forces, and their memory will always remain high."

A Message to Those Who Misread the Withdrawal

President Barzani directly addressed what he described as those who are either emotionally reactive or deliberately misinterpreting the coalition's departure as the beginning of Kurdistan's vulnerability. "Many people, some out of emotion and some out of malice and deliberate misinterpretation, believe that with the departure of the coalition forces, the Kurdistan Region will come under threat and will come to an end," he said. "I want to assure the beloved people of Kurdistan that there is very good coordination with the Iraqi federal government to confront any kind of threat and danger, whether that threat comes under the name of ISIS or any other name."

The message then turned to a direct and personal warning to any party that harbors ambitions against the Kurdistan Region. "Anyone and any party that dreams of becoming a threat and causing harm to the stability of the Kurdistan Region should know that in Kurdistan there are enough Peshmerga, heroes, and those willing to sacrifice their lives for the homeland to defend the people and land of Kurdistan and defeat every threat and aggression," President Barzani said.

He then placed the Peshmerga within its deepest historical context. "The Kurdistan Peshmerga, whose roots are in the history of Kurdistan's liberation struggle and who are the product of the blood of martyrs and the tears of martyrs' mothers, will always remain," he said. "The Kurdistan Peshmerga, in full coordination with the Iraqi federal forces, are ready to defend, protect the stability of the country, and prevent every kind of threat and danger."

The Historic Significance

President Barzani's message on September 30, 2026, arrives at the intersection of three simultaneous realities. The coalition that stood with the Peshmerga at the darkest moment of the ISIS crisis has formally concluded its mission. The Kurdish people face genuine uncertainty about what the regional security environment looks like without a foreign military umbrella. And Iran, which has struck the Kurdistan Region more than 1,000 times since February 2026, is watching closely for signs of vulnerability.

President Barzani's message addresses all three simultaneously. It honors the coalition. It reassures the people. And it places any adversary on notice, in the clearest terms the KDP president has used since the conflict began, that the Peshmerga's resolve is not diminished by the coalition's departure but grounded in something the coalition's arrival could never create and its departure cannot take away, the history, the blood, and the identity of a people who have survived everything that has come before.