Shafaq News/ The President of Iraq's Kurdistan region, Nechirvan Barzani, on Wednesday welcomed Italy's Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, to Erbil for a high-level meeting.

In a readout issued by the region's presidency, Barzani expressed his appreciation for Italy's unwavering military support in the battle against ISIS, reiterating the region's eagerness to "further develop relations with Italy, particularly expanding the cooperation on security issues."

The president commended the Italian forces for their invaluable assistance in training the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

Responding to these sentiments, Defense Minister Crosetto reiterated Italy's commitment to providing continued military support to Iraq and the Kurdistan region.

He acknowledged the indispensable contributions of the Kurdistan region in vanquishing ISIS and emphasized Italy's dedication to fostering strong ties with Iraq and the Kurdistan region, as well as ensuring peace and stability in the area and the wider global context.

The meeting, attended by several key figures, including the Italian Ambassador to Iraq, the Italian Consul General in the Kurdistan region, and the commander of the Italian forces, also addressed issues of mutual interest and the broader implications of the ongoing war in Ukraine on the region.