Axios: Trump Speaks With Iraqi Kurdish Leaders Amid Escalating Iran Conflict

President Donald Trump spoke by phone Sunday with senior Kurdish leaders in Iraq to discuss the expanding U.S.–Israel war with Iran, according to a report by Axios citing sources familiar with the calls.

Trump held separate conversations with Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani, leaders of the two main Kurdish factions in Iraq. The calls took place one day after a major bombing campaign began. One source described the discussions as “sensitive” and declined to provide further details.

The Kurdish region in northern Iraq holds strategic importance. Kurdish forces maintain thousands of troops along the Iran–Iraq border and control territory that could become significant if the conflict broadens. Iraqi Kurdish groups also have close ties to Iran’s Kurdish minority population.

According to Axios, the outreach followed months of behind-the-scenes lobbying by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has advocated for strikes on Iran and emphasized the potential role of Kurdish groups in any broader regional developments.

When asked about the calls, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to discuss specifics, saying the president has been in contact with “many allies and partners in the region.”

Kurds govern the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, established following the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.