President Barzani heads to Paris for talks with Macron

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani departed for Paris on an official visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Barzani is scheduled to meet Macron on Monday at the Élysée Palace to discuss relations between France, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region; ways to enhance cooperation; joint counterterrorism efforts; and the latest developments in the Middle East, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

In January, Barzani received a phone call from Macron during which they discussed the regional situation, particularly in Syria.

The visit follows Barzani’s participation in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye, where he held a series of meetings with several presidents and leaders to discuss a range of issues.

The Kurdish president visited France last year to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. A year prior, he met with Macron in the French capital to discuss mutual relations and developments in Iraq and the region.