According to Kurdistan Press, Nechirvan Idris Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in an exclusive interview with the Muwajahah program on AlSharqiya TV, discussed a wide range of issues related to the current situation in Iraq and the region, including the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq in September 2026, the current economic crisis in Iraq, the monopoly on weapons in the hands of the Iraqi government, the recent meeting of the "Government Administration Coalition" in Baghdad, the future of the political process in Iraq, Erbil-Baghdad relations, the ongoing conflicts and wars in the Middle East, the war imposed by the United States and Israel against Iran, and more.During this recent war, we in the Kurdistan Region remained completely neutral

Regarding his view on the future of the political process in Iraq as well as the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, including the tensions between the United States and Israel and the issue of war with Iran, Mr. Barzani stated: “I believe that Iraq adopted a neutral position during the conflicts that occurred. Iraq cannot isolate itself from its regional environment, nor can it rely solely on one country, whether it is the United States or any other country. Aligning with any particular axis is not in Iraq’s interest, because it has the ability to play a neutral role. During this recent war, the Kurdistan Region faced many accusations, yet we remained completely neutral, especially in preventing the Kurdistan Region from becoming a platform for causing problems for our neighbor Iran.The Kurdistan Region should not become a source of threat to Iran or any neighboring country

In response to a question about whether the Kurdish opposition groups in the region have targeted Iran, the head of the Kurdistan Region said: "Let me ask; have any of these opposition groups really done such a thing? But the fact is that we have prevented any problems from being created for our neighbor, Iran, through the borders of the Kurdistan Region. Why? Because the fundamental principle of Iraq is not to become a source of threat to any of its neighbors; and the Kurdistan Region, as part of federal Iraq, should not become a source of threat to Iran or any other neighboring country. We have not allowed these groups to cross the border.Although their presence here is real, this presence is not related to the last one or two years, but has a history of 40 years and is a problem left over from the past and the time of the Baath regime. We want to solve this problem, but its solution must be found by the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad, with the coordination and cooperation of these groups, as well as Iran. However, we are fundamentally opposed to Iraq becoming a source of threat to any of our neighbors.

In the Kurdistan Region, we support the government’s program and the Iraqi government itself

Mr. Barzani added: We in the Kurdistan Region also support the government’s program; the principle that the monopoly on possession of weapons should be in the hands of the government, and the Iraqi government itself. All political currents have announced their support for the Prime Minister. We should all support him, because this is not a personal issue; the issue is not about “Ali al-Zaidi” as Prime Minister, but rather the issue concerns all Iraqi political currents, although at present; the heavy burden of the Prime Minister’s responsibility is on his shoulders. We, as Iraqi political currents, which include all spectrums, including; Shiites, Kurds, Sunnis, Turkmen, Christians and Yazidis, must support the Prime Minister; because this is not a personal issue and, ultimately, is tied to the interests of Iraq.US forces set to withdraw from Iraq by end of September 2026

The head of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region clarified regarding the withdrawal of US forces from all over Iraq: Based on an agreement with the Iraqi government, a specific timetable has been set for the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq by the end of September 2026. During that meeting, I asked the Prime Minister whether they were adhering to this timetable, and he replied: "Yes, we are adhering to it."

We in the Kurdistan Region are ready to provide any support and assistance to the Iraqi government

The experienced Kurdish diplomat emphasized in another part of his speech in this television interview: Regarding the Kurdistan Region, we are ready to provide any support and assistance to the federal Iraqi government, although these are considered long-term solutions. If Iraq wants to build a pipeline through the Kurdistan Region, we welcome this move and are ready to cooperate; similarly, if they intend to determine its route through Syria, we are also ready to help. However, while these are long-term measures, immediate solutions require that all political forces in Iraq support the Prime Minister and fulfill their responsibilities.

The political process in Iraq is improving

At the end of this interview with the Arabic channel "Al-Sharqiya" and in response to a question about "What is your view on the future of the political system or the political process in Iraq? What is your view or perspective on the political process in Iraq?", "Nechirvan Barzani" emphasized: I believe that the political process in Iraq and what we have witnessed so far is improving. The political forces of Iraq must support our government in Baghdad. I emphasize once again what I said at the beginning; we must accept that we are all on the same ship. If that ship has an accident, it does not mean that the Kurdistan Region will be saved while Baghdad will sink, or vice versa. Our fate is common and we must accept this principle.We, as Iraqis, share a common destiny and must help each other, whether the Kurdistan Region helps Baghdad, Baghdad helps the Kurdistan Region, or whether political forces support the Prime Minister. We must all work for a better and brighter future for all of Iraq.