U.S. Opens World’s Largest Consulate in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a U.S. consulate, reportedly the largest in the world, has opened in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Iraqi sources indicate the consulate, located on the Shaqlawa road, cost approximately $800 million to construct and spans 200,000 square meters. The facility includes main offices, security installations, and staff accommodations, with a capacity for 1,000 people, according to Iraqi media reports.
Speaking at the inauguration, Michael Rigas stated that the Kurdistan Region is “a security partner and the backbone of U.S.-Iraq relations.” He said the consulate will serve as a platform to expand U.S. interests, support investment to strengthen the economy and technology sectors, and protect religious and ethnic minorities, reflecting dimensions of strategic cooperation.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani described the opening as “a clear political message” demonstrating the depth of historical cooperation with Washington. Prime Minister of the KRG, Masrour Barzani, remarked that the consulate building is a steadfast rock, like a mountain, and that the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the U.S. is entering a new phase of constructive and developmental cooperation.
Dindar Zebari, the KRG’s Coordinator for International Advocacy, noted the importance of the U.S. consulate’s opening for the Kurdistan Region’s standing and the future relations between Iraq, Kurdistan, and the United States. He told Al Jazeera that the consulate’s opening highlights the strategic role of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq and the region, enhances its economic and institutional development, strengthens the federal system, and ensures sustainable coexistence among all communities.
Zebari emphasized that the American diplomatic presence in the Kurdistan Region both safeguards U.S. interests and helps bolster the region’s political and economic stability. Karukh Khoshnaw, founder and president of the Kurdish American Research Institute, stated that the opening of the U.S. consulate in the Kurdistan Region sends two messages: first, internally, that the region is an essential part of U.S. policy in Iraq; and second, externally, that Washington relies on the Kurdistan Region as a strategic partner in the region.
Some observers warn about the dangerous behind-the-scenes goals of this U.S. move in the Kurdistan Region against Iraq and the entire region, noting that U.S. embassies and consulates in the region, particularly in countries like Iraq, have often had missions similar to military bases and espionage centers.
