The Kurdsh premier made the remarks during a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
Among other topics during the meeting, the pair exchanged views on the presence of the US troops in the region, Barzani said in a statement on his Twitter account.
"At MSC2020 @SecPompeo and I agreed that US forces should remain in the region," Barzani said. "Our American allies are a vital part of the Global Coalition in the fight to defeat ISIS once and for all."
Pompeo thanked Barzani for his partnership with the United States and for the KRG’s commitment to the security of U.S. facilities and personnel in the Kurdistan Region.
The US secretary reaffirmed the United States’ enduring commitment to a strong, sovereign, and prosperous Iraq. He stressed the need for the Government of Iraq to implement reforms that address the protest movement’s legitimate grievances and provide all Iraqis a life of dignity, prosperity, and security.
The Secretary and the Prime Minister agreed on the need for continued, close cooperation between the United States and the KRG, consistent with the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement, a US department of state statement reported.
Barzani is leading a high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to attend the annual conference in Munich.
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