ERBIL () - The completion of Peshmerga unification should remove obstacles to providing the Kurdistan Region with air-defense capabilities and other military equipment, senior Peshmerga commander Sirwan Barzani said, arguing that the newly unified force has entered a position from which Baghdad and international partners should expand their support.
Sirwan Barzani, commander of the Peshmerga's Sixth Sector, told's 5 p.m. news bulletin on Monday, Sept. 21, that unification represented the fulfillment of a long-standing Kurdish aspiration.
"The unification of the Peshmerga forces is a highly significant step and marks a blessed day, because it has long been the dream of every Kurd,"he said. "With this step, no excuse remains for any person or party."
His remarks shifted attention from the institutional achievement celebrated during Monday's ceremony toward the next question facing the force: how a unified Peshmerga will be equipped and supported.
"The unification of the Peshmerga will create favorable conditions for equipping the forces,"Barzani said. "It will also encourage the coalition to take further steps in its cooperation and dealings with them."
He specifically raised the need for an air-defense system, alongside broader weapons and equipment requirements.
Call on Baghdad
Sirwan Barzani was critical of what he described as previous federal obstacles to military support reaching the Peshmerga.
"The Iraqi government has repeatedly obstructed assistance from reaching the Peshmerga forces,"he said. "It must now approve their equipping and commit to fully supporting the Peshmerga by providing salaries and weapons."
The criticism represents Barzani's assessment of Baghdad's past role.
He said the significance of Monday's restructuring was that the Peshmerga now operated with "one decision"and one voice, removing one of the longstanding institutional questions surrounding the force.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, meanwhile, welcomed the completed unification.
In a message posted on X, al-Zaidi congratulated the Kurdistan Region and the Peshmerga, describing the move as a contribution to national security and institutional consolidation.
He said placing security and military forces within constitutional and legal frameworks, while strengthening coordination between Iraq's different armed formations, would support unity in defense decision-making.
Read More: Iraqi PM Congratulates Kurdistan Region, Peshmerga on Completion of Unification Process
Washington Backs Stronger Institutions
The United States also expressed support for a strong Kurdistan Region following the unification ceremony.
Responding to an inquiry from White House Correspondent Sangar Akrayi, a State Department spokesperson said on background that Washington supports "a strong and resilient Iraqi Kurdistan Region,"describing it as "a foundational pillar of the broader US-Iraq relationship."
"We encourage all parties to work swiftly and constructively on matters that strengthen the region's institutions,"the spokesperson said.
Read More: 'Kurdistan Region Remains a Foundational Pillar of the US-Iraq Relationship' State Department Tells
On Peshmerga unification itself, the State Department referred questions about the KRG's internal institutional affairs to the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The US response comes after years in which international partners, including the United States and Germany, supported training and reform efforts intended to strengthen interoperability and institutional coherence within the Peshmerga.
From Unification to Professionalization
Monday's ceremony formally marked the completion of a process that placed Peshmerga forces under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani called Sept. 21 a "historic day,"saying the Ninth Cabinet had made unification a commitment from its first day in office.
Prime Minister Barzani said the forces were now organized within a single structure covering operations, training, command and control, communications and accounting.
He also stressed that structural unification was only the first stage.
"This unification represents the first stage and first step in a long-term process,"he said, adding that the next phase would focus on professionalization, personnel development and training in accordance with international military standards.
Prime Minister Barzani also called on Baghdad to ensure the Peshmerga receives appropriate salaries and financial entitlements, emphasizing its constitutional position within Iraq's defense system.
Read More: Prime Minister Barzani: Peshmerga Unification Marks Historic Day for Kurdistan
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani likewise said unification must now be reflected in leadership, decisions, training, promotions, military service and discipline.
Read More: Kurdistan Region President Marks Historic Peshmerga Unification
Peshmerga Affairs Minister Shorsh Ismail described the restructuring as a historic turning point. The unified force now includes 11 military divisions, two support forces, one commando unit and two military regional commands, all operating within a unified command-and-control framework.
Read More: Shorsh Ismail: Unified Peshmerga Marks Historic Turning Point
For Sirwan Barzani, the institutional milestone should now lead directly to stronger defensive capabilities.
His message was that unification had addressed the organizational question. The next test, he argued, is whether Baghdad and international partners translate that new structure into tangible support — including salaries, weapons, equipment and, critically, air defense for the Kurdistan Region.
