Kurdish President Barzani Meets Syrian Leader al-Sharaa in Historic Damascus Visit

Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, led a high-level delegation to Damascus, where he was received by President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the People’s Palace. This visit, the first by a Kurdish leader since the removal of Bashar al-Assad, aimed to deepen Erbil-Damascus relations and coordinate on key regional issues. The two leaders revisited topics first raised at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, including expanding economic cooperation and the future of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which seek integration into Syrian military institutions.

They also examined mechanisms to secure Kurdish constitutional rights in Syria, such as language protections under Decree No. 13, and discussed leveraging the Kurdistan Regional Government’s experience in Kurdish-language schooling. Barzani’s itinerary included meetings with SDF commanders and Kurdish members of the Syrian parliament, reflecting broader diplomatic engagement that follows reciprocal visits and efforts to reopen the Syrian consulate in Erbil. The talks carry security significance for the Kurdish region, which hosts many Syrian refugees and seeks a stable, inclusive Syria to curb extremist resurgence.