Kurdistan's president, Iranian officials agree to expand trade, border crossings, flights

Shafaq News/ The president of Iraq's Kurdistan Region and Iranian officials discussed expanding trade, border crossings, and direct flights during a meeting on Thursday, eying for closer economic ties.

Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Region, met with a delegation from Iran that included governors of border provinces and parliamentarians, according to a statement by the Region's presidency.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the current state of relations, the statement said, following discussions on boosting cross-border movement of goods and people.

The agenda, according to the statement, also included proposals for increased cooperation in healthcare and tourism, in addition to establishing a duty free trade zone at the borders.

The Iranian delegation thanked the Kurdistan Region for facilitating travel for Iranian pilgrims visiting holy sites in southern Iraq.

KRG officials, the Iranian Consul General in Erbil, and the Iranian Consul in al-Sulaymaniyah attended the meeting.