Masrour Barzani After Meeting with US Secretary of State: We Are Very Happy with America’s Support

Peregraf

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani expressed satisfaction with ongoing U.S. support following a high-level meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State, amid growing tensions between Erbil and Baghdad over recent multi-billion-dollar energy deals.

“We had a very good and useful meeting,” Barzani told reporters after the talks.“We are very pleased that there is a lot of support from the United States for the people of Kurdistan.”

The Prime Minister noted that the two sides discussed regional developments and exchanged views on ongoing political and economic processes. Barzani also extended an invitation to the U.S. Secretary of State to visit the Kurdistan Region, though he said any such trip would depend on the Secretary’s schedule.

Barzani’s remarks come as controversy swirls over the KRG’s recent signing of two major oil and gas contracts with U.S. companies HKN/Onex Group (operating as Miran Energy) and Western Zagros. The agreements, signed in Washington on May 19, are valued at around $100 billion and aim to develop the Miran and Topkhana-Kurdemir fields in Sulaymaniyah province—believed to hold 13 trillion cubic feet of gas and 9 million barrels of oil.

While U.S. officials welcomed the deals as a sign of strengthened commercial and energy ties, Baghdad has strongly condemned them.

In a firm statement issued today, Iraq’s Ministry of Oil said such agreements are unconstitutional unless approved by the federal government. “These procedures violate the decisions issued by the Federal Court of Cassation,” the Ministry warned, citing court rulings that affirm Baghdad’s exclusive right to manage Iraq’s natural resources.

“The Ministry has no objection to cooperation with American companies, but it must be through official federal channels,” the statement said.

The dispute once again highlights the ongoing constitutional and legal battle between the KRG and Iraq’s federal government over control of the country’s vast energy resources.

Barzani responded to Baghdad’s objections by emphasizing that the KRG’s actions serve the interests of all Iraqis. “We hope that Baghdad’s statements will be considered in the interest of the Iraqi people. The more flexibility they show, the more they will see that our efforts are in everyone’s interest,” he said.

KRG officials have defended the deals, with Acting Minister of Natural Resources Kamal Mohammed saying the regional government neither consulted Baghdad nor plans to. “This billion-dollar agreement proves the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to peace and development,” Barzani added during the signing ceremony.

U.S. Energy Secretary Christopher Wright voiced support for the KRG’s initiative at an energy summit on May 22, noting that improved electricity infrastructure is key to development.

As the KRG pursues international partnerships to boost its energy independence, the standoff with Baghdad appears set to intensify, raising the stakes in Iraq’s long-running struggle over oil and constitutional authority.