President Masoud Barzani, in the first of a series of high-level meetings on Sunday, received Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, and his delegation in Pirmam. Barzani reaffirmed that the Kurdistan Region’s rights must be upheld within the framework of Iraq’s Constitution. He emphasized the principles of mutual respect, balance, and partnership in resolving disputes, warning firmly against the use of citizens’ salaries as political leverage amid rising tensions between Erbil and Baghdad.
Later that day, Speaker al-Mashhadani met with Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Erbil, alongside Deputy Speaker Shakhawan Abdullah and MP Ziyad Janabi, head of the Council’s Integrity Committee. Their discussions focused on the urgent need to resolve the salary crisis and ensure that public sector wages are not politicized. All parties agreed that the Kurdistan Region’s employees must not bear the consequences of political disputes, calling the current situation deeply unjust.
They stressed the importance of reaching a fair and timely resolution and expressed full support for the continuation of talks between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government in Baghdad.
In a separate meeting, President Nechirvan Barzani also met with Speaker al-Mashhadani. Both leaders described the period as “sensitive” and underscored the need for intensified efforts to reach a comprehensive solution. They expressed hope that ongoing negotiations and an emerging roadmap will soon produce a lasting agreement.
The series of meetings reflect a united Kurdish call for constitutional justice, financial equity, and the protection of citizens’ livelihoods.