Barzani met Italian Defence Minister Lorenzo Guerini in Erbil on Tuesday and discussed the strengthening of cooperation to support the international coalition’s efforts against the ISIS in Iraq, specifically the extremists’ targeting of foreign missions.

“Diplomatic missions must be protected because their presence is important and necessary in supporting and assisting the country,” explained the Kurdistan authorities.

Guerini arrived in Baghdad on Monday and met Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and a number of senior officials.

Last Friday, Al-Kadhimi and Parliament Speaker Muhammad Al-Halbousi announced their support for a proposal submitted by the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr, to investigate the repeated attacks against foreign embassies and diplomatic missions, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

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