Masoud Barzani

Masoud Barzani (born 1946 in Mahabad, Iran) is the son of Mustafa Barzani, the legendary founder of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). He was born during his father's brief participation in the Republic of Mahabad, the short-lived Kurdish state in Iranian Kurdistan. Masoud Barzani rose through the KDP ranks and assumed leadership of the party in 1979 after his father's death. He led the Iraqi Kurdish movement through the brutal Anfal campaign of the 1980s and the post-1991 autonomy period. Following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, Barzani became the dominant political figure in Iraqi Kurdistan, serving as President of the Kurdistan Regional Government from 2005 to 2017. He was closely involved in diplomatic relations with Iran, playing a complex role in mediating between Tehran and Iranian Kurdish opposition groups — a position reflecting both the KDP's historical ties to Iranian Kurdistan and its need to maintain relations with Tehran. His status as son of the founder of modern Iraqi Kurdish nationalism and long-serving president of the Kurdistan Region makes him a key node connecting the Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish political landscapes.