🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇶 Iraqi Kurdistan says it’s been attacked over 1,000 times since the Iran war began... Kurdistan Region PM Masrour Barzani says they never wanted ANY part of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, but somehow they keep getting dragged into it. Drones and missiles have hit American bases, energy infrastructure and, most recently, even Barzani’s private office. And now he’s worried things could get worse. The U.S. is pulling back forces from Iraq, and Barzani says losing American air defenses could leave Kurdistan dangerously exposed... So now he’s asking allies to help Kurdistan get its own air defenses and anti-drone systems. The timing of the U.S. pullback really couldn’t be much worse for them. Source: Al-Monitor / Writer: Daniyal

Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: I strongly condemn these reckless and unacceptable attacks in the strongest terms, as they represent a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to the security and stability of the region.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ESTABLISHED A SECRET BACKCHANNEL TO IRAN'S IRGC, WITH TRUMP USING KURDISTAN PRESIDENT BARZANI TO REACH AN IRGC COMMANDER AND IRAQ'S BARZANI OFFERING TO HELP RESTART US-IRAN NEGOTIATIONS - AXIOS CORRESPONDENT BARAK RAVID