Who is Masrour Barzani?

Masrour Barzani has served as the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) since 2019 and was elected Vice President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in November 2022. Before that, in 2012, he was appointed by Masoud Barzani as the first Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council, overseeing security and military intelligence.

One of his key initiatives has been the Invest Kurdistan Initiative, aimed at attracting foreign investment beyond the energy sector and promoting the region’s first agricultural export programs.

Before entering politics, Masrour was active in the Kurdish uprising against Saddam Hussein after the first Gulf War, serving in the Peshmerga.

Despite his official roles, many believe he wields more power than his father and is commonly referred to as Bra Gawra (Big Brother). Critics accuse him of using public funds for personal enrichment, amassing vast wealth, including billions in assets in the UAE and the U.S.