Breaking the Ice: Erbil-Tehran Relations after Barzani's Visit.

President Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) visited Tehran, signaling a potential shift in KRI-Iran relations. Barzani met with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other high-level officials to discuss security, economics, and internal politics. The visit comes amid a political stalemate between Barzani's ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and Tehran may be asked to mediate between the two sides. Iran has a vested interest in resolving political disputes in Iraq and expanding its influence in the region. [Extracted from the article]