US opens massive $796M consulate in Irbil to strengthen Kurdish ties

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) – The United States inaugurated a massive new consulate compound Wednesday in Irbil, the capital of northern Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region.

The move highlighted Washington’s diplomatic and strategic engagement in the Kurdish region, particularly as the U.S. moves troops that had been stationed elsewhere in Iraq as part of a mission against the Islamic State group, under an agreement with the central government in Baghdad.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas joined Kurdish leaders for the inauguration of the sprawling complex – planned as the largest U.S. consulate in the world – built on a 206,000-square-meter (50-acre) site along the Irbil-Shaqlawa highway at a cost of $796 million.

“America’s investment in this new consulate provides a secure platform to advance the interests of the United States,” Rigas said. “It demonstrates the value that a sovereign, secure and prosperous Iraq, in mutually beneficial partnership with the United States can deliver for its own people and for America.”

The opening comes amid ongoing challenges in Iraq, including regional tensions and attacks on energy infrastructure. A drone strike last week on the Kormor natural gas field caused widespread power outages.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Rigas appeared to cast blame on Iraq’s politically powerful Iran-backed militias.

He urged both Baghdad and Irbil to “disempower and dismantle Iran-aligned militias that continue to engage in violent and destabilizing activities and only serve to harm Iraqi sovereignty.”

Kurdish regional President Nechirvan Barzani referred to the consulate as a “clear political message regarding the importance of Irbil and the Kurdistan region.”

He said the facility underscores the deep partnership between the U.S. and the Kurdish authorities and will serve as a hub for diplomatic, economic and security cooperation.