President Barzani: Iraq needs a political solution

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Kurdistan Region President, Massoud Barzani, received a delegation from the U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday. The US Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter and other officials discussed the need to contemplate a political solution for Iraq.

According to a statement released on the Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP) website, President Barzani emphasized that "the priority for the people of Kurdistan is to defend themselves and fight the Islamic State (IS).”

“The Kurdistan Region is ready for any sort of coordination and cooperation with any party fighting the Islamic State terrorists,” President Barzani said.

The US delegation visited Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, to reinforce understanding and cooperation between the Kurdistan Region and the U.S. and was "satisfied with the trust and cooperation that exists between the U.S. army and the Peshmerga forces," KRP statement reads.

In the meeting, both sides discussed the latest military operations against the IS militants, according to the KRP statement.

Multi-pronged attacks on the Peshmerga positions by IS militants on Wednesday and Mosul’s liberation were also discussed in the meeting.

Secretary Carter stated that he has asked other coalition forces to provide more support for the Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Region.

On Wednesday the U.S. Defense Secretary arrived in Baghdad in an unannounced visit. He visited U.S. troops and advisors and met Iraqi officials in an effort to intensify the fight against IS militants and provide more military support to the Iraqi government.