Baghdad: Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Masrour Barzani, expressed his support on Monday for the federal government’s steps in combating corruption and cooperating with Baghdad to solve problems, while noting that the region was targeted a few days ago from the direction of Mosul.

According to Iraqi News Agency, Barzani stated during a press conference that the Kurdistan Region wants the problems in the region to be resolved and to be a party to the solutions. He clarified that the problems in the region persist, but the region is not part of them. He emphasized that relations with the Iraqi government are ongoing, and the Kurdistan Region supports the al-Zaidi government, as well as the Iraqi government’s efforts to combat corruption. The region is ready to assist the Iraqi government in resolving all problems.

He indicated that work is underway to resolve the ASYCUDA problem soon, noting that the regional government is working to improve the conditions of citizens in Kurdistan. On the domestic front, Barzani mentioned that it has been 20 months since the elections, and it is necessary to activate the Kurdistan Parliament and form a service-oriented government for the entire region.

Regarding the electricity sector, Barzani stated that the regional government has fulfilled its promise to implement the 24-hour electricity project, and the ‘Ronaki 24-Hour’ project is functioning well. However, he noted a problem with securing gas from Dana Gas due to security concerns, which has affected gas production. He added that the coming days will witness an increase in the quantities of gas used for electricity generation.

He affirmed that the regional government defends all the rights of citizens in Kurdistan, explaining that the rise in global oil prices, along with the situation in the region, has affected Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The costs of oil production and extraction by producing companies are borne by the regional government.

Barzani called on the federal government to review its previous decision regarding the Kurdistan Region’s internal revenues, stressing the need for fuel prices to be affordable for citizens, and for the government to work to minimize any harm that may befall them.

Regarding attacks on the region, he confirmed that the region has been subjected to drone attacks in recent days, with an attack launched from the direction of Mosul. He emphasized the importance of possessing a defense system, but approval has not yet been obtained. Barzani affirmed that the Kurdistan Region is not part of the problem in the region, noting that it has been subjected to repeated drone attacks in recent days.