On Saturday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul during his official visit to Turkey.

During the meeting, which was attended by Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler, Minister of Energy Alparslan Bayraktar, and Director of the National Intelligence Organization Ibrahim Kalin, they emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region across various sectors, the KRG readout said.

“I am pleased to meet with President @RTErdogan at the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. We emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between Türkiye and the Kurdistan Region,” KRG Prime Minister Barzani posted on X.

According to the KRG readout, President Erdogan commended President Masoud Barzani and the Kurdistan Region as an important factor of peace and stability in the region.

“We also discussed efforts to form a new federal cabinet. We both hoped that the new federal cabinet will promote peace and stability in Iraq, serve all communities without discrimination, and resolve issues between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government on the basis of the Constitution,” Prime Minister Barzani posted on X.

“On the peace process and the disarmament of the [Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)], I reiterated my support for the process, and we stressed the importance of continuing the efforts to ensure its success and completion,” he added.

According to the KRG readout, President Erdogan stressed the importance of continuing the efforts to ensure the success and completion of the peace process.

In May 2025, the PKK announced it would dissolve and disarm following a February 2025 call by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. 

During his official visit, Prime Minister Barzani also met with Minister Fidan in Istanbul.

“I had a productive meeting with Foreign Minister @HakanFidan on the developments affecting the region,” Prime Minister Barzani posted on X. “We also discussed the ongoing efforts to form the new federal cabinet in Iraq.

“We further emphasized the importance of implementing the Development Road project and connecting the Gulf countries, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region with Türkiye and Europe through a railway network.”

The Development Road project is a 1,200-kilometer strategic railway and highway project that aims to connect the Gulf countries, Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, Turkey, and Europe through new transport corridors, roads, railways, and pipelines.

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The Development Road project is a 1,200-kilometer strategic railway and highway project that aims to connect the Gulf countries, Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, Turkey, and Europe through new transport corridors, roads, railways, and pipelines.

Prime Minister Barzani also separately met with Minister Guler. 

"We exchanged views on the situation in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the wider region," Prime Minister Barzani posted on X. 

"We stressed the importance of safeguarding the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the broader region, and underscored the need to de-escalate tensions across the Middle East."