PUK President Says PUK Ready to Protect Kurdistan Amid Regional Tensions

Kurdistan 12:17 PM - 2026-10-12

PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani at MERI 2026.

 Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), has warned that the region is facing a precarious situation, stressing the need for greater preparedness, political agreements and cooperation to address mounting security and economic challenges.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) Forum 2026 in Erbil on Monday, 12 October 2026, President Bafel said the global economic downturn, alongside the security and economic risks facing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, made it essential for political forces to work towards practical solutions.

“We must all support the peace process,” he said, adding that the PUK was strengthening its historic relationships across different sectors while maintaining strong international ties and engaging with a broad range of political parties.

During the session, titled “Building a Stronger Kurdistan: Unity, Security, and Regional Partnerships”, President discussed developments in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the wider region, as well as international affairs and possible ways to address current challenges.

‘We Have Never Been, Nor Will We Ever Be, Subservient to Anyone’

Addressing the PUK’s international relations, President Bafel said he was proud of the party’s ties with the United States, Iran, Russia, the United Kingdom and other countries.

“However, the PUK has never been, nor will it ever be, subservient to anyone,” he said. “Anyone who claims that the PUK follows the agendas or directives of other countries simply does not understand politics.”

On forming the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), President Bafel said negotiations were progressing and that a government could be formed quickly if outstanding issues were resolved.

“We could form the government within 24 hours, but we must first resolve the existing issues,” he said.

He noted that constructive meetings had taken place in recent days, including what he described as positive discussions between Qubad Talabani and Masrour Barzani. He also confirmed that he had met Shaswar Abdulwahid, adding that the PUK remained in contact with all political parties while further discussions continued away from the media spotlight.

Regarding the possibility of renewed conflict, President Bafel said the PUK had its own plans to protect the people of the Kurdistan Region.

“Should war break out again, the PUK has its own plan. We are capable of protecting our people alongside the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), given the strong coordination between us,” he said.

‘Iran Has Red Lines’

Commenting on the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, President Bafel said Washington could return to the country relatively quickly, pointing to the presence of US forces in neighbouring Jordan.

Turning to efforts to disarm armed groups in Iraq, he said many were willing to surrender their weapons and that Iran could help bring them under the authority of the Iraqi government.

“With Iran’s assistance, we could bring them under the umbrella of the Iraqi government, although this process requires time and trust,” he said.

President Bafel added that Iran has several red lines and argued that avoiding crossing them was important to maintaining regional stability.

During his recent visit to Iran, he said, discussions had included ways to protect the Kurdistan Region in the event of renewed conflict between the United States and Iran.

A Strong and Prosperous Iraq Benefits Everyone

The President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said Iraq’s current Prime Minister was seeking to introduce fundamental changes and held no negative attitude towards the KRG.

“This is beneficial for the Kurds. Everyone in Kurdistan must understand that today’s circumstances are different from those in 2003 and 2004, when Iraq was weak and the Kurdistan Region was strong. Today, the situation is reversed: a strong and prosperous Iraq means a strong and prosperous Kurdistan,” he said.

Our Agreement with New Generation Is Serious

Commenting on the agreement between the PUK and the New Generation Movement, he stressed that the understanding was genuine and could benefit the political process, including the KDP.

He said the agreement demonstrated that the largest opposition party recognised the current circumstances and was willing to contribute to forming the new government.

President Bafel dismissed media reports suggesting that the PUK was misleading New Generation, describing such claims as unfounded.

“We are ready to reach any fair agreement to form the government, particularly as everyone acknowledges that the previous administration had numerous flaws and shortcomings,” he said.

We Will Not Compromise the People's Rights

PUK President said he had visited Erbil 16 times in an effort to reach an agreement with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), but the attempts had yet to produce a deal.

“Despite our failure to reach an agreement, we have no major political or strategic differences, and our outstanding issues are not insurmountable,” he said. “We are willing to make concessions on our own rights, but we will not compromise the rights and demands of the people of Kurdistan.”

Addressing the economic situation and regional developments, President Bafel said significant economic progress would remain difficult until the crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz was resolved. He added that the financial difficulties facing Iraq were part of a wider challenge affecting other countries, including those in Europe.

The PUK’s Door Remains Open to Dialogue

President Bafel said that if other political parties adopted a clear approach similar to that of the PUK, many of the Kurdistan Region’s problems could be resolved more easily. He stressed that the PUK did not engage in behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring.

“We can reach agreements with Türkiye, Baghdad, Iran and the United States, yet we have been unable to reach an agreement with our brothers and sisters in the KDP. Why is that?” he said.

President Bafel reaffirmed that the PUK remained committed to dialogue and was ready to reach an agreement, but warned that time was running out.

Turning to developments in Syria, he said the PUK had always been ready to respond to requests for assistance from the Kurds in Western Kurdistan (Rojava). He expressed optimism about their future but urged them to accelerate their efforts.

On relations with Türkiye, President Bafel said ties had improved and returned to normal, adding that both sides needed one another. He said Türkiye had increasingly recognised that the issues concerning the Kurds, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and those in the mountains could be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy.

“We will also cooperate in this process,” he said, adding that the PUK was engaged in discussions with Iran to pursue a similar approach to resolving issues affecting the Kurds there.

A Message to the Kurdistan Democratic Party

In his concluding remarks, PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani delivered a direct message to the KDP, urging its leaders to resume negotiations in good faith and reach an agreement on forming the Kurdistan Regional Government.

“I have a special message for the KDP. Dear brothers and sisters, I am not speaking about partisan politics, but about several comrades within the KDP whom I consider friends, as well as others whom I regard as friends of President Mam Jalal, Hero Khan and Kak Kosrat,” he said.

President Bafel stressed that the PUK neither wished nor was able to govern the Kurdistan Region without the KDP, adding that the two parties had an opportunity to reach an agreement and work together.

“Look at our relations in Baghdad, and compare them with yours. If we join forces, we can govern Iraq and transform the Middle East,” he said.

He added that the differences between the two parties were not insurmountable and called for formal talks to resume with sincerity and mutual trust.

“Our intentions are sincere,” he said, concluding with the remark: “And I also want the Brno rifle.”

The MERI Forum 2026 opened in Erbil on Monday, 12 October 2026, under the theme “In Our Shared Region: Promoting Stability, Cooperation and Prosperity”. The two-day event will address a range of pressing local and regional issues.


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