ERBIL - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih on Thursday in Erbil where they discussed the efforts to bring about national unity to resolve differences among all components in the country.

The two presidents highlighted the latest updates about the political and security affairs in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, including the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections scheduled for October, Barzani's office said in a statement.

They also discussed ways to support the preparations for "a fair and free elections that will serve the mutual interest of the people and all communities in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region," the statement added.

During their meeting, Barzani and Salih stressed on the need to resolve the disputes and rivalries and hold dialogue among the political parties, valuing the Kurdish president's recent visit to Baghdad as well as his meetings with the Iraqi leaders.

"Discussions also focused on bringing about national unity and a common vision in order to resolve the differences and to face the challenges ahead," the statement added.

The pair also shed light on the latest developments in the wider region and agreed that "security challenges and political instability will not serve the common interests of the people in the wider region."