BAGHDAD, Iraq — The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, arrived in Baghdad on Thursday for the first time since the independence referendum and events of October 2017.

Speaker of Iraqi parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi, Fatih leader Hadi al-Amiri, Finance Minister Fuad Hussein, and the head of Iraqi National Intelligence Service Mustafa al-Kadhimi received Barzani on the tarmac.

Later in the day, he met with new Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi who had previously apologized for not being able to receive Barzani at the airport.

Barzani is also expected to meet with heads of Iraqi political parties. Iraqi President Barham Salih is in Rome meeting with Italy's Prime Minister on Thursday.

The head of the largest party from the Kurdistan Region visits the Iraqi capital after recent agreements over exporting Kirkuk’s oil and removing customs at the internal border. His trip is the latest sign of warming relations between Erbil and Baghdad.

Erbil-Baghdad relations hit a low point after federal forces supported by Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militias and paramilitias took over the disputed or Kurdistani areas including Kirkuk in October 2017.

Barzani's term as president of the Kurdistan Region expired on November 1, 2017, and his powers were delegated by the parliament to the KRG prime minister and government.

Barzani was last in Baghdad in September 2016 prior to the Mosul operations, meeting with former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Rudaw