SALAHUDDIN — In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor at his headquarters in Salahuddin, in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), saw no reason to further delay Kurdistan's parliamentary elections, and expressed hope that a "positive atmosphere" surrounding recent talks between the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on the budget could be conducive for talks on a long elusive oil law.

“I wouldn’t say the budget decision is 100% to our liking, but I believe it is a positive step forward,” said Barzani, who served as president of the Kurdistan Region from 2005 to 2017. 

The legendary Kurdish leader also discussed relations with the United States; the China-brokered agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia; relations with Iran; the Arab rapprochement with Syria; and the situation of Kurdish communities in Iraq and throughout the region.  

Barzani’s influence remains hugely impactful in both Kurdish and federal Iraqi politics. The KDP is the dominant party in Iraqi Kurdistan, holding 45 seats in the Kurdistan Regional parliament. The rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) holds 21, with other, smaller parties filling out the remaining seats in the 111-member chamber.