Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Erbil on September 12 morning, marking the first-ever visit by an Iranian head of state to Iraq's Kurdistan Region.

Pezeshkian was greeted at Erbil International Airport by Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, along with other high-ranking Kurdish officials.

The Iranian leader's visit to Erbil is part of his broader trip to Iraq. During his stay, Pezeshkian is scheduled to hold talks with President Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. He met with Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, as well as other political party leaders in the region. The Iranian president's visit to the Kurdistan Region is heavily focused on boosting economic and trade ties, with three key economic officials accompanying him.

The Iranian delegation includes Farzaneh Sadegh, Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Abdolnaser Hemmati, Minister of Economy, and Mohammad Reza Farzin, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran.

According to unofficial data, nearly 80% of goods in Kurdistan Region markets are imported from Iran, particularly in Sulaymaniyah and Halabja provinces. Also, 500 Iranian companies and factories operate in the region, comprising 350 companies and 150 factories, local Kurdish Channel 8 reported.

Mustafa Sheikh Abdulrahman, President of the Kurdistan Region Importers and Exporters Union, said that annual trade between the Kurdistan Region and Iran ranges from $6 to 7bn. Estimates suggest trade reached $3.5bn in the first six months of 2024.

"The Kurdistan Region and the Islamic Republic of Iran share eight border crossings, four of which are official: Bashmakh, Parvizkhani, Haji Omaran, and Shushmi," a local official stated. "The other four are secondary crossings."

The land border between the Kurdistan Region and Iran stretches approximately 650 kilometres and has several border crossings, both formal and informal.

This landmark visit is seen as a significant step in Iran-Kurdistan relations, potentially opening new avenues for cooperation between Tehran and Erbil.

In the video at Irbil airport, Pezeshkian who has some Kurdish ancestry on his mother’s side is seen talking to Barzani.

The visit comes at a time of evolving regional dynamics, with observers keenly watching for any signs of shifting alliances or new diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East.