President Barzani: The People of Kurdistan Remain Grateful for the Solidarity and Support Provided by the United States

ARK News.. President Masoud Barzani met on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, in Erbil with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas and his accompanying delegation at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

During the meeting, the U.S. Deputy Secretary expressed his pleasure at visiting the Kurdistan Region and congratulated President Barzani on the successful Iraqi parliamentary elections and the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s strong performance in the vote. He also conveyed his appreciation for President Barzani’s role in advancing the Kurdistan Region and in countering terrorism while safeguarding the stability and security of the wider area.

Rigas reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to strengthening and expanding bilateral relations with the Kurdistan Region across all fields, describing the opening of the largest U.S. consulate in Erbil as a significant milestone. He stressed that the inauguration of the largest American consulate in the region sends a clear message that the United States stands with a strong, stable, secure, and prosperous Kurdistan Region. He also underscored that the region’s security is vital to the stability of the entire Middle East, affirming continued U.S. support in this regard.

The American official strongly condemned the recent attack on the Kormor gas field and called for decisive measures to end such acts of sabotage.

For his part, President Barzani described the day as a historic moment in the relationship between the United States and the Kurdistan Region, marking the opening of the largest American consulate in Kurdistan.

President Barzani also highlighted the long history of oppression endured by the people of Kurdistan under successive regimes in Iraq. He noted that the opportunities created during the uprising—along with the decisive role of the United States and the UN Security Council in establishing a no-fly zone—enabled Kurdistan to build a democratic process through elections and to establish its government, parliament, and institutions. He further emphasized the crucial role played by the United States in the war against ISIS, affirming that the Peshmerga forces made immense sacrifices and lost many martyrs in that fight, but that the toll would have been far greater without U.S. support.

President Barzani praised the important role of the United States in the region, expressing the deep gratitude of the people of Kurdistan for America’s solidarity and assistance. He reaffirmed that the people of Kurdistan are loyal and appreciative of the support they have received, and he voiced his commitment to further strengthening relations between both sides across all sectors.

236