Kurdish PM Barzani, US Envoy push for swift resumption of KRI oil exports

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Kurdistan Region (KRI) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani welcomed a US delegation led by Victoria Taylor, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

The meeting addressed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, efforts to form the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet, and the latest developments in Iraq and the region, according to a statement from the KRG.

Both sides discussed the overall situation in Syria, emphasizing “the need to maintain its security and stability while ensuring the rights of the Kurdish people and all its components.”

Regarding oil, they agreed on the importance of “resuming the export of Kurdistan’s oil as soon as possible, in the interest of all parties,” particularly given that the halt in exports has caused significant damage to the federal budget.

Barzani and Taylor also underscored the need to secure the KRI's rights and financial entitlements, with the Prime Minister stressing that "the Region has met all its obligations under the federal budget, and Baghdad must fulfill its duty to deliver the KRI’s entitlements as a federal and constitutional entity."

For her part, Taylor reaffirmed the importance of the Kurdistan Region's status and its role as a "partner" to the United States.