Barzanis Attempt to Normalize Family Businesses Amid Ongoing Power Realignments
KurdFile Media – August 2025 | London
In what appears to be a carefully staged effort to portray transparency and modernization, Mustafa Barzani, the youngest son of veteran Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, welcomed Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani for a tour of a newly launched sweets factory named Zom.
The factory is located in Mergasour, a Barzani stronghold in Erbil Governorate a region that Mustafa is widely believed to manage as a private dominion. While promoted as a business initiative, the event’s real significance lies in its political messaging.
This is one of the few public appearances in which the Barzanis appear more comfortable showcasing personal ventures, signaling an attempt to normalize the blending of political power and private enterprise. Critics argue that this normalization reflects a broader trend in the Kurdistan Region, where ruling elites are increasingly unafraid to turn state influence into personal branding.
The event also deepens speculation about internal rivalries. Mustafa Barzani, long in the shadow of his elder siblings, is said to be nurturing political aspirations of his own. His recent visibility contrasts with the rising profile of Areen Barzani, son of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who is believed to be groomed for leadership. In this context, Nechirvan Barzani’s attendance, who is both Mustafa’s brother-in-law and a key rival to Masrour adds another layer to the evolving family dynamics, said Mr. Harki editor of Kurdfile media.
Notably, Idris Nechirvan Barzani, the president’s son, remains largely disengaged from overt power plays, which may explain why he is not seen as a threat within the family’s competing circles.
Observers say this latest unveiling of Zom is part of a new narrative: rebranding the Barzanis not only as political rulers but as job creators and economic developers despite ongoing public anger over delayed salaries, monopolized markets, and lack of financial transparency.
While the sweets factory may sweeten the family’s image, questions remain about whether the Kurdish public will accept these efforts as genuine diversification or see them as yet another sign of elite entrenchment cloaked in public relations.
President Barzani visits family business