US deepening engagement with Kurdistan, envoy says
Shafaq News – Washington
Ties between the Kurdistan Region and the United States remain strong and grounded in shared interests, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) representative in Washington said on Friday.
At a New Year reception hosted by the Region’s representative office, Treefa Aziz pointed to what she described as significant steps taken in 2025 to strengthen relations with Washington, citing the opening of the largest US consulate in the world in Erbil as a marker of long-term American commitment.
A visit by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to Washington in May also resulted in multi-million-dollar agreements with US energy companies and opened the door to a series of high-level delegations to the Region, including visits by the US Chamber of Commerce and the US–Kurdistan Business Council, Aziz said.
Looking ahead, the KRG is optimistic about 2026, she added, pointing to opportunities to further deepen partnership with the United States and improve services for the Region’s population.
The expanding engagement comes as Washington reshapes its military footprint in Iraq. The Pentagon has confirmed a phased reduction of US forces elsewhere in the country, with remaining personnel expected to be concentrated in the Kurdistan Region, primarily in Erbil.
