Shafaq News – Erbil

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met on Wednesday with a delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Anthony, head of external relations, to discuss the situation of Christians in the Region.

According to a statement from the Kurdish Presidency, the talks focused on the status of religious minorities, ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and Christian communities in Iraq and Kurdistan, and broader Russia–Kurdistan relations.

Barzani reiterated that “Kurdistan takes pride in its culture of coexistence and tolerance and remains committed to protecting it.”

The Russian Orthodox representatives praised Kurdistan’s record on safeguarding minority rights and freedoms, commending the Region’s tradition of interfaith harmony.

Iraq’s Christian population has fallen from about 1.5 million before 2003 to an estimated 150,000–300,000 today. Most are Assyrians and Chaldeans concentrated in the Nineveh Plains and the Kurdistan Region, where many fled seeking safety.

Christians have faced repeated attacks, including church bombings, assassinations, and mass displacement during the ISIS offensive in 2014, when communities were forced to flee under threat of death or conversion.

Read more: Stolen lives, stolen Homes: the plight of Iraqi Christians