Iranian Parliament Speaker representative visits Kurdistan

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – A Kurdish MP in the Iranian parliament representing the Iranian government, visited the Kurdistan Region on Saturday to discuss extremism in the region.

Jalali Mahmood Zada, a representative of the Kurdish city of Mehabad in the Iranian parliament, visited the Kurdistan Region to discuss the mechanism of combating the roots of extremism.

“We came here to discuss our concerns on extremism and sectarianism in the region and we have closely exchanged opinions on this matter,” Mahmood Zada told Kurdistan24.

The MP added he hoped such discussions would lead to joint efforts from the Kurdistan Region and Iran to prevent the spread of extremism.

The historical relations between Kurdistan and Iran and an increase in cooperation between both sides was a topic at the meeting, according to a Region MP.

The Kurdistan Region MP mentioned concerns over the continuous shelling of the border areas by the Iranian artillery were raised.

In late 2014, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani visited the Kurdistan Region capital Erbil and met with President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.

Larijani said Iran would continue to provide assistance to Kurdistan as they did during the struggle against the former Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein.

Bahram Ghasemi, the spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, previously told Kurdistan24 despite the differences with the Kurdistan Region, Iran is open to talks with officials to maintain and improve relations.

“We had good relations [with Kurdistan], although there have been ups and downs,” Ghasemi said. “We have some differences in matters and in others we are close.”

The Kurdistan Region shares nearly 400 kilometers (249 miles) of its border with Iran.

Moreover, the KRG and Iran have working economic relations, and the KRG plans to build a pipeline to export the Region’s crude oil abroad.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany