Erbil-Washington Ties "Crucial" to Protect Regional Security: PM Barzani

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani stated on Saturday that the relations between the Kurdistan Region and the United States are "crucial" to protect security across the region.

Barzani made the remarks during a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

"During my meeting with Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, we agreed that strong KRG-US ties are crucial in protecting security in Kurdistan, Iraq and across the region," Barzani wrote on Twitter.

Barzani's office said in a statement that the US defense minister said that his country will continue its military assistance for the Peshmerga forces.

"Secretary Esper agreed that the Kurdistan Region remains an important regional partner, and he confirmed that the US will continue training Peshmerga forces to combat the ongoing ISIS threat," reads the statement.

According to the press release, they also shed light on the situation in Iraq and the war against the Islamic State (IS) in the region.

"During their discussion of the latest developments in Iraq and the wider region, Prime Minister Barzani thanked the US for its vital role within the Global Coalition and for its ongoing support to the Kurdistan Region in the fight against ISIS," the statement said.

"He said that the strong ties between the KRG and the US are crucial for regional stability and security."

The Kurdish premier held several meetings with other world leaders on the first day of the annual conference earlier on Friday.