France pursuing new defense agreement with Iraq to include Kurdistan Region: Consul General

France is seeking a new defense coordination agreement with Iraq. The goal is to respond to security problems that followed the withdrawal of the US-led international coalition mission. French Consul General Emmanuel Mignot said the proposed arrangement would include the Kurdistan Region. Paris views the region as an important pillar of stability and security.

The agreement would build on talks between Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in mid-September. Those discussions covered defense, economic, and educational relations. France also wants to revive cooperation with Iraq’s air force and use its delivered radars to support national security.

The plan remains under discussion, but it could create a new framework for cooperation with Baghdad and Erbil. France also intends to continue working with the Peshmerga, whom Mignot described as brothers-in-arms after fighting ISIS together since 2014. The arrangement is meant to meet current threats while reinforcing Iraq’s sovereignty.

The withdrawal of the US-led international coalition has changed Iraq’s security environment. The article links the transition to concerns about drone attacks, aerial threats, and the need for stronger air defense. These risks matter especially because the Kurdistan Region has faced ongoing drone attacks since the US-Iran war began in late February.

ISIS remnants remain another danger. Mignot specifically mentioned threats in Kirkuk and other disputed territories. At the same time, changes in the coalition’s military presence have increased concern about who will detect and counter aircraft or drones. France says Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are both conscious of this air-defense challenge.

France is responding through a proposed defense agreement, delivered radars, and continued cooperation with the Peshmerga. Mignot said the KRG and Peshmerga can primarily address the ISIS challenge. The broader direction is toward more Iraqi responsibility, stronger local capabilities, and a new security partnership after the coalition’s withdrawal.

The Kurdistan Region is a constitutionally recognized autonomous federal region of Iraq. It is governed through the Kurdistan Regional Government, commonly called the KRG, rather than functioning as a separate sovereign state. The region’s political system includes its own parliament, cabinet, and administrative institutions.

Its autonomy allows the regional government to manage many internal matters. The Peshmerga operate as the region’s principal security force, although their relationship to Iraq’s national defense structure remains politically sensitive. Baghdad remains responsible for Iraq’s sovereignty, foreign policy, and national defense. The article reflects this division by discussing both Iraqi and Kurdish security responsibilities.

The region therefore has substantial self-government but does not have internationally recognized independence. France’s proposed defense coordination agreement would involve Iraq while including the Kurdistan Region. This approach recognizes the KRG’s security role but treats cooperation as part of Iraq’s wider defense framework. The article itself does not explain the region’s legal status; this answer uses established constitutional background.

The Kurdistan Region is a large area in northern Iraq, covering roughly 40,000 to 50,000 square kilometers, depending on the boundaries used. It has approximately six million residents. These are commonly cited estimates rather than a single uncontested figure, because the region’s claimed territory includes areas whose status remains disputed.

Its population includes Kurdish communities as well as other ethnic and religious groups. The regional capital is Erbil, where the French consul general discussed security cooperation. The article focuses on the region’s strategic and security importance, but it does not state its area or population.

Its size and population help explain why air defense and security partnerships matter beyond one city. The region borders areas affected by ISIS remnants and has faced drone attacks and aerial threats. France describes it as a pillar of stability and security. Any exact measurement should therefore identify its source and whether it counts only the administered region or also disputed territories.

Military radars use radio waves to detect objects in the air, estimate their distance and direction, and track their movement. They can help distinguish possible threats from ordinary aircraft. Radar does not automatically destroy a drone or plane. It supplies the information that air-defense operators need to make decisions.

France has already delivered what Mignot called very effective radars to Iraq. A radar can scan airspace, notice an approaching drone or aircraft, and pass its position to a command center. That warning can help Iraqi or Kurdish forces assess the object and coordinate an appropriate response. The article does not specify the radar models or their exact coverage.

Mignot said air defense is a challenge for both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The proposed defense agreement could support closer coordination, while French radar deliveries strengthen Iraq’s ability to monitor its airspace. The practical result would depend on trained personnel, connected command systems, and suitable methods for stopping threats.

The Peshmerga are central to France’s security partnership because French and Kurdish forces fought together against Daesh, or ISIS, since 2014. Mignot said that shared campaign created very strong ties. France therefore sees the Peshmerga as an established partner, not simply a force it has recently contacted.

Their role continues in the fight against ISIS remnants. Mignot pointed to threats in Kirkuk and other disputed territories, then said the KRG and Peshmerga had shown their capacities. France’s earlier battlefield relationship provides a foundation for discussing what form cooperation should take after the coalition’s withdrawal.

France now wants to define a new type of cooperation suited to current threats. That could involve coordination on air defense and other security needs, although the interview does not give a detailed military plan. The partnership is likely to remain important as Iraq and the Kurdistan Region manage drone risks, aerial threats, and ISIS remnants.

For Iraq, strengthening sovereignty means developing the ability to monitor and defend its own territory. An independent air force and air-defense network would reduce reliance on foreign coalition forces for detecting or responding to threats. It would also give Baghdad greater control over decisions involving Iraq’s airspace and national security.

The article gives two concrete examples. France has delivered radars to Iraq, which can detect and track airborne objects. France also hopes to revive its longstanding cooperation with the Iraqi air force. Together, these measures could improve surveillance, coordination, and the ability to respond to drones or aircraft. The article does not describe specific weapons or force numbers.

This goal matters after the coalition’s withdrawal and amid continuing aerial threats. Mignot said France’s priority is strengthening Iraq’s sovereignty, while recognizing that Kurdistan shares the air-defense challenge. A new defense agreement could connect French support with Iraqi institutions and include the Kurdistan Region in a broader national security approach.