Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani expressed support for the Iraqi government's stance on resuming discussions with the United States to shape a future relationship in security and military affairs.

In a message by Barzani’s headquarters, he stated, "We support the position of the federal government headed by Mr. Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani, and we support the statement of the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resume discussions with the American side to formulate a future relationship within the military and security framework to ensure the continued confrontation of terrorism and the protection of the country’s security from external attacks, including the security and safety of the Kurdistan Region."

Barzani stressed that negotiations are “the correct way to build sound relations based on common interests between the Republic of Iraq and the United States."

Earlier, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Secretary of Defence revealed in separate statements that the U.S. and Iraqi officials will start working group meetings of the U.S.-Iraq Higher Military Commission in the coming days as part of a planned process both countries committed to last August and is not connected to recent tensions with Iranian-backed groups.

Expert working groups of military and defense professionals will examine the threat from ISIS, operational and environmental requirements, and the Iraqi security forces' capability levels.