Peregraf - The spokesperson for Masoud Barzani’s headquarters has sharply rejected recent statements made by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, who criticized the presence of Barzani’s security guards during his visit to the city of Cizre (Cizir) last week.
In a strongly worded response, the spokesperson said Bahçeli had once again spoken “with a chauvinistic mentality that contravenes all norms and serves no party.” The statement emphasized that all security arrangements for Barzani’s visit were carried out according to a formal protocol agreed upon between relevant institutions in the Kurdistan Region and Turkey.
The spokesperson also noted that Turkish high-ranking officials visiting the Kurdistan Region are routinely accompanied by special Turkish military units, and such arrangements have “never caused any issues.”
“President Barzani’s visit was a supportive step for the peace process that Bahçeli claims to endorse,” the statement said. “We thought God had guided Devlet Bahçeli to the right path and that he had moved beyond racism and chauvinism. But it seems he remains the same old grey wolf—now only wearing a sheep’s skin.”
Bahçeli’s Criticism
Bahçeli had earlier slammed the appearance of Barzani’s armed bodyguards in Şırnak, calling the sight of foreign security personnel carrying long-barreled weapons on Turkish soil “a disgrace, pure and simple.” He argued that Barzani holds no state office and entered Turkey merely as a guest, claiming the incident violated Turkey’s sovereignty.
The MHP leader also insisted that no foreign guards should carry weapons or uniforms inside Turkey without prior authorization.
Barzani’s Visit to Cizre and Support for Peace Efforts
On November 29, 2025, Masoud Barzani attended the Fourth International Mullah al-Jaziri Symposium in Cizre, an event organized by Şırnak University under the theme “Mullah Jaziri’s Understanding of Ethics.”
The two-day gathering brought together 111 academics from 23 Turkish universities, along with 16 international participants from the Kurdistan Region, Iran, Syria, and Germany.
Barzani described the occasion as “one of the happiest days” of his life and praised Mullah al-Jaziri as “a bright star that will never set,” reciting some of the poet’s verses during his remarks.
He also expressed strong support for Turkey’s renewed peace process, calling it “a great change” backed by the people, political parties, and parliament.
“We were very happy with the start of this process,” he said, adding: “Opening the door to peace is the best option.”
Barzani thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the government, and parliament, and also welcomed positive steps reportedly taken by imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.
The KDP president affirmed that the Kurdistan Region “will support the process with all our power and will not hesitate to do whatever we can.”