Kurdistan region: Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani affirmed on Thursday that the region’s strength lies in being part of a strong Iraq, stressing that the time has come to resolve disputes and consolidate coexistence across the country.

According to Iraqi News Agency, in a speech delivered at the Sulaymaniyah Economic Summit, Barzani emphasized that political disputes should not hinder trade and investment. He called for a clear constitutional framework regarding financial, customs, and tax issues to be established with the federal government. Barzani expressed his vision for an Iraq that is not a tool for force or control but a haven that protects all its citizens.

Barzani highlighted the importance of a state that embraces all ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens, Christians, and Yazidis. He emphasized the need for everyone to feel secure in their rights, protected by state institutions and the law, independent of government whims or power dynamics. Constitutional resolution of issues related to the budget, salaries, oil, gas, and powers was also stressed as essential for upholding the rights of both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

Barzani clarified that the objective is not for Erbil to follow Baghdad or vice versa, but for both to follow a constitutional Iraq. He reaffirmed that the strength of the Kurdistan Region lies in existing within a strong federal Iraq. Barzani concluded by stating that the time has come to end disputes and resolve them through the constitution, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence within the country.