KTFA

FRANK26: "IRAQ MEETS WITH ALL OF USA DEPARTMENTS".......F26

Secretary Rubio to Meet Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Washington

By Ahora Qadi

ERBIL  – 

The United States Department of State has officially confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Friday at 1:30 PM Washington time (8:30 PM Erbil time), according to the  Department’s Daily Public Schedule.

The high-level meeting will take place at the Department of State headquarters in Washington D.C., and will be followed by a joint press conference, signaling growing strategic cooperation between the U.S. and the Kurdistan Region.

This marks a significant engagement between the two allies amid intensified dialogue over regional security, energy cooperation, and the Kurdistan Region’s role in U.S. Middle East policy. The meeting comes as part of Prime Minister Barzani’s ongoing official visit to the United States, which has included pivotal talks with American officials, major energy companies, and congressional leaders.

During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed the United States' strong support for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its right to economic development. His remarks came in response to concerns raised by Congressman Joe Wilson regarding Iranian interference in the Kurdistan Region and its impact on American energy investments.

Congressman Wilson highlighted a recent multibillion-dollar agreement between the KRG and U.S. oil companies for the exploration and development of energy resources in the Kurdistan Region. However, he warned that increasing Iranian influence over Baghdad threatens these efforts.

In response, Secretary Rubio emphasized that Kurdish autonomy remains a central pillar of U.S. policy in Iraq. “We first have made clear that the lynchpin of our approach toward Iraq is the autonomy that the Kurdish population has in that part of the country,” he said. “Part of that is allowing them the economic lifeline that enables them to prosper and succeed.”

Rubio also reiterated that U.S. support for Iraq depends on Baghdad’s respect for American companies operating in the country and for the constitutional rights of the Kurdish people. “Iraqi officials have expressed interest in a closer relationship with the United States, and we’ve explained to them that the core of that is respect for the companies operating in Iraq and respect for Kurdish autonomy,” he added.

Addressing the broader issue of Iranian influence, Rubio issued a strong warning: “Iranian influence continues to grow, unfortunately, in some sectors of Iraq’s elected government, and it poses a grave danger to the United States—including in the form of pro-Iran Shia militias, who have in the past struck against the United States and may do so again. That’s unacceptable and must be addressed.”

LINK