BY MIRABEL ODETA
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday, expressing gratitude for the role the region plays in maintaining global energy supplies amid the ongoing Middle East war. The State Department noted that Rubio thanked the KRG for ensuring that oil from Iraq, including from the Kurdistan Region, continues to reach global markets despite the conflict.
The conversation comes as oil prices remain volatile, having surged in response to the war that began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on U.S. and Israeli forces, as well as on Gulf states, escalating regional tensions and causing global energy markets to tremble.
Rubio also offered condolences to the families of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters killed in a missile attack on March 24 and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. A Peshmerga statement confirmed that six fighters were killed and 30 wounded when Iranian ballistic missiles struck a military base north of Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. The statement described the attack as “treacherous” and underscored the ongoing risks faced by regional security forces amid the conflict.
The Secretary’s remarks highlight the strategic importance of the Kurdistan Region in keeping Iraqi oil flowing to international markets, a critical factor as the war continues to disrupt global energy supplies. In addition, the U.S. remains closely monitoring Iranian activity in the region, where missile strikes and retaliatory actions have already claimed thousands of lives across Iran, Israel, and surrounding territories.
President Donald Trump has frequently shifted the goals and timelines of U.S. operations in the war, at times citing the destruction of Iran’s missile and military capabilities, and on Thursday, he once again claimed that his administration has achieved success in the conflict. Meanwhile, global markets continue to react to each development in the war, reflecting the delicate balance between regional military activity and international energy security.
As the fighting persists, the KRG’s cooperation in ensuring the uninterrupted flow of oil underscores the interconnectedness of geopolitics, energy markets, and regional stability. Analysts suggest that ongoing collaboration with Iraqi Kurdistan may be vital to mitigating further spikes in global oil prices while the broader Middle East conflict unfolds.