Barzani was speaking on Thursday, January 23, alongside Iraqi Finance Minister Fuad Hussein, Saudi Arabian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, UN Special Representative for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and Chatham House Director Robin Niblett.

“In our opinion, what was done in the Council of Representatives was not right because two of the essential components of Iraq which are Sunni and Kurds did not support the decision whatsoever,” Barzani said.

“In our opinion, Iraq needs the help of the international coalition and the US because the resurgence of IS and terrorism in Iraq is a serious matter and we think that this goal cannot be accomplished and they should stay in Iraq,” he added.

In his remarks Barzani also addressed the ongoing anti-government unrest sweeping Baghdad and the southern provinces.

“We in the Kurdistan Region cannot separate ourselves from what is happening in Iraq are a part of the country. What happens there certainly affects us. What is important for us to see is that Iraq before October 1 is way different than after it,” he said.

“It is really important that the political leaders in Iraq know that the nation and people of Iraq will not tolerate or accept going back to before the protests,” he added.

Hennis-Plasschaert said that she was concerned that geopolitical tensions playing out in Iraq risked distracting the government from taking on needed reforms and forming the new government.

Hussein, who is a member of Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), said that the federal government regretted the deaths of Iraqi protesters. More than 500 have been killed during the protests and 17,000 wounded. The security forces have been identified as a primary perpetrator of violence against demonstrators.

The panel wrapped up a busy visit to Davos for Barzani who also met with US President Donald Trump, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, Jordanian Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, and the foreign ministers of Turkey, Oman, and Sweden.

Reporter’s code: 50101