President Masoud Barzani receives a joint delegation of the White House and the US Department of Defense

On May 5, 2021, President Masoud Barzani received the joint delegation of the White House and the US Department of Defense, which included Brett McGurk the Coordinator for Middle East and North Africa Affairs at the White House, Derek Shuli, Senior Adviser to the US Secretary of State, and Dina Stroll, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Affairs. The Middle East, and a number of other advisors in the American administration.

At the meeting, which was attended by Hoshyar Zebari and Mahmoud Muhammad, members of the Political Bureau of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the guest delegation conveyed the special greetings of President Biden and the US Secretaries of defense and State to President Barzani. They also expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the joint coordination between the Kurdistan Region and the United States of America during the past years. The delegation affirmed that the new administration in America has a very good knowledge of the situations and problems in Iraq and the region. They also stressed the continuation of their country in the international coalition that exists with the Kurdistan Region and other allies.

For his part, President Barzani thanked America for its prominent role in securing the safe zone for the people of Kurdistan in the early 1990s. He also expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the role and its assistance to the Kurdistan Region and Iraq during the war against the terrorists and ISIS.

During the meeting, views were exchanged on the political situation in the region, the political process and the upcoming elections in Iraq. They also discussed the challenges facing the political process in Iraq, as well as the relations between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad, and stability in Iraq and the region.

The ISIS and the threats of terrorism, was another focus of the meeting, and regarding the terrorist threats of ISIS, President Barzani informed the guest delegation that the threats of terrorism and ISIS in Iraq are still continuing, because the causes that led to the emergence and strengthening of ISIS are still remaining and have not been addressed.