This week, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani told Al Jazeera that the Kurdistan Region has been targeted 1,000 times by missiles and drones launched by Iran or by Iran-backed militias since the war between the United States and Iran started on February 28.

“Our position has been very clear from day one that we do not want to be a part of any conflict or any war in the region. We certainly did not start the war, and we want to protect and preserve Kurdistan Region without being a part of any conflict in the area,” he said.

“No party has pressured us to get involved in the war and we do not want to be a party to any conflict in the region.

“Unfortunately, we have been targeted so far more than 1,000 times by missiles and drones directly from Iran or from inside Iraq by some of the militias,” KRG Prime Minister Barzani underlined, adding that the Kurdistan Region has suffered casualties and its infrastructure has been damaged. “We think that these are all unjustifiable attacks against Kurdistan.”

Prime Minister Barzani also told Al Jazeera that, since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria has come out of the ashes and made positive steps. “It was going through some very difficult times, and I think what’s been done in the last couple of years has been very positive and constructive.

“Obviously, there are still problems, but we have been very supportive of the talks and dialog between Damascus and the Kurds in Syria.” 

On January 29, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus reached an integration agreement after heavy fighting, a deal that was backed by the Kurdistan Region. No major clashes have happened since then and SDF officials have been appointed to positions in the Syrian government and local administration in Kurdish areas.

“We do support any constructive and positive step forward to eventually solve the existing problems in Syria.” 

Barzani also said that the KRG supports the Iraqi government led by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in restricting arms to official forces only and that U.S. troops remain in Erbil to fight terrorism.