Staff Reports
Qubad Talabani, the deputy prime minister of the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq, just did something a lot of Washington won’t: he spoke plainly and put his weight behind President Trump as a dealmaker who can end the Iran war and reopen the region for trade. Talabani told reporters he’s “rooting for a deal” and said Kurdistan can help with back channels and deconfliction. That’s not campaign fluff — that’s a regional leader talking about peace, access to markets, and real leverage.
Kurdish leader says President Trump can cut the deal
Talabani didn’t offer praise as a partisan favor. He looked at what weak leadership does on the ground — missiles, militias, and refugees — and decided blunt force diplomacy is worth a try. He called President Trump a “master of the deal” and welcomed any effort that brings a ceasefire, ends hostilities, and protects sea lanes. He also made clear the Kurdistan Region is willing to help, whether through discreet diplomacy or by using its strategic location for safe passage.
Leverage, not lectures, wins in the Middle East
The key point Talabani understands — and that too many in Washington still don’t — is that negotiations without leverage are just polite delay. President Trump treats talks like contests of power and consequence. That drives results. Democrats and much of the media still focus on tone and tweeting as if that matters more than whether oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz or missiles stop landing near civilian ports. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
The Strait of Hormuz is the hinge — and the world knows it
This is not abstract. The recent back-and-forth with Iran about ending hostilities and reopening safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz shows how fragile global energy and shipping are. Iran sent a response to a U.S. proposal through Pakistan, and leaders in the region are watching whether a deal will actually be enforceable. Secretary of State Marco Rubio even thanked the Kurdistan Regional Government for helping get Iraqi oil to market during the crisis. That’s practical cooperation, not talking points.
If President Trump can lock in an enforceable agreement that contains Iran’s nuclear ambitions, preserves consequences for bad actors, and reopens the Strait of Hormuz, the benefits will be enormous — for energy markets, for stability in Iraq and Kurdistan, and for global trade. Call it leverage, call it tough diplomacy, call it results. Whatever you call it, the people living on the front lines already know which approach they prefer.
