On Friday, Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani congratulated President Masoud Barzani on being appointed a Knight of the Order of Pius by Pope Leo XIV.

Read More: President Barzani Receives Highest Papal Honor

“President Barzani, as a symbol of peace and coexistence and a defender of the religious and national rights of all the diverse communities of Kurdistan and Iraq,  carries forward the sacred Barzani legacy and its genuine values of purity and humanity. He is deserving of every honor and recognition,” Prime Minister Barzani stated.

“Under the leadership of President Barzani, the Kurdistan Region will, as always, remain an important and thriving center of peaceful coexistence in the region and the world.”

On Thursday, President Masoud Barzani received Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, the former Chaldean Patriarch, during which the Cardinal bestowed the Catholic Church’s highest honor upon President Barzani.