US Charge d’Affaires praises Barzani’s role in Damascus–SDF deal
Shafaq News– Erbil
The US Charge d’Affaires in Iraq, Joshua Harris, conveyed appreciation on behalf of President Donald Trump to the leader of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, for his supportive role in facilitating the recent agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
According to a statement from his office on Sunday, Barzani welcomed a US visiting delegation and thanked the United States for its continued support for the people of Kurdistan, noting that “without the US stance and support in 1991, it would not have been possible to preserve the gains of the uprising, the Kurdistan parliament, and the Kurdistan Regional Government.”
The meeting also included an exchange of views on Iraq’s political process, with both sides stressing “the importance of adherence to the Iraqi Constitution and agreed that Iraq’s future should be determined by Iraqis themselves, based on partnership, balance, and compromise,” while welcoming recent dialogue and consultations in Baghdad aimed at developing political mechanisms that serve Iraqis’ interests and strengthen US-Iraq cooperation.
Meanwhile, the US Consulate in Erbil said, on X, that Harris reaffirmed during the meeting with Barzani the United States’ “steadfast commitment to supporting a sovereign, stable, and prosperous Iraq, as well as a robust and enduring partnership with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.”
He also pointed out that any Iraqi government must remain fully independent and focused on advancing the national interests of all Iraqis, adding, “Only through such independence, he said, can Iraq effectively protect its sovereignty, avoid regional tensions, and fully realize the potential of a mutually beneficial partnership with the United States.”
Read more: Iraq’s Government formation enters high-risk phase under US economic pressure
In their meeting with President Barzani, CDA Harris and CG Green reaffirmed the United States’ steadfast commitment to supporting a sovereign, stable, and prosperous Iraq, as well as a robust and enduring partnership with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. This partnership is embedded… pic.twitter.com/6Yy3QEDLbk
— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USCGERBIL) February 1, 2026
Earlier this week, the Syrian government and the SDF reached an agreement to halt hostilities, including the launch of a political, security, and military track to integrate northeastern Syria.
