Kurdistan Region PM Barzani meets Iranian leaders in Tehran

TEHRAN, Iran — TEHRAN — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani traveled to Tehran at the official invitation of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, where he also attended the funeral ceremony of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to regional officials. Following his arrival in the capital, Barzani held separate meetings with Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The talks focused on three main areas: expanding bilateral trade, maintaining border security and implementing a joint security agreement. The meeting with Ghalibaf carries particular weight, as it covers institutional follow-up of bilateral agreements within the Iranian parliament. The Erbil administration is pursuing deeper economic cooperation with Iran through border crossings and the energy sector, according to the regional government. The visit forms part of the Kurdistan Region's broader diplomatic engagement alongside its ties with Ankara and Arab capitals, with Erbil positioning itself as an interlocutor on regional crises.