During a meeting with Bafel Talabani, president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in Tehran, Qalibaf praised the resilience of the Iranian nation and armed forces in repelling the aggression launched by the US and Israel since February 28.

He said Washington likely did not anticipate such fierce resistance or the scale of its military and political defeat.

“In the war started by the Americans, our great nation and armed forces showed how they can overcome the US and the Zionist regime,” Qalibaf stated on Tuesday.

“Perhaps the Americans never thought they would face such resistance from Iran and such a defeat against the Islamic Republic, and everyone can see that the Americans have been defeated both in the military and political arenas.”

Addressing regional security, Qalibaf said during the 40-day war, the United States sought to launch security and military operations against Iran from the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

“However, with the help of your friends in the Region and the timely reaction of Iran’s armed forces, this enemy plot was defeated,” he told Talabani, emphasizing the need to expand economic, political, and security cooperation with neighboring countries to the highest levels.

Qalibaf warned that despite their setbacks, Washington and Tel Aviv will continue their conspiracies.

He specifically noted that the US and Israel are actively trying to sow discord among neighbors, particularly between Iran and Iraq, not least now that they have been “forced to leave both the land and the skies of Iraq.”

“We must not allow such tensions through close communication and mutual trust, and we must be careful not to be influenced by the sinister actions of the US and the Zionist regime.”

PUK reaffirms commitment to security pact

Bafel Talabani, whose father, the late Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, was remembered by Qalibaf as a “noble man” and a loyal, old friend of Iran, echoed the Iranian official’s sentiments regarding regional security and bilateral ties.

Talabani said the PUK has grown stronger and returned to the path led by his father. Expressing deep gratitude for Iran’s historical support during hard times, he said the struggles of Iran and Iraq are deeply intertwined.

“The Islamic Republic has always been our supporter and backer; therefore, we consider your war and hardships as our own, and your victory as our victory.”

The PUK leader said his party will not allow the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to be used as a base for insecurity against the Islamic Republic.

“We are fully prepared to implement the security agreement between the two countries of Iran and Iraq and to expand relations.”

The security agreement referenced by Talabani refers to a landmark pact signed between Tehran and Baghdad in 2023.

Under the terms of the deal, the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) committed to disarming anti-Iran Kurdish groups based in the region and relocating them to camps far from the Iranian border.

Iran has repeatedly stated that the presence of these armed separatist groups near its borders poses a severe national security threat, and the PUK’s commitment to enforcing this disarmament is viewed as a vital pillar of border stability.