Qais al-Khazali, Secretary General of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq group, has asserted that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) recognizes Kirkuk as an integral part of Iraq, distancing the city from any association with the Kurdistan Region. This statement was made during a recent interview on an Iraqi television channel, where al-Khazali addressed ongoing disputes surrounding the Kirkuk Provincial Council and the election of a new governor.

Al-Khazali emphasized his group's support for the PUK against the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), based on two key points, one of which he described as fundamental. "Our belief in the Iraqiness of Kirkuk is non-negotiable," he stated. "This was the basis of our initial discussion with the PUK leader."

He further explained that the PUK leader committed to recognizing Kirkuk's Iraqi identity during talks that included representatives from the Arab side. "We are prepared to guarantee this agreement at the Arab side's request, provided that the PUK acknowledges Kirkuk's identity as Iraqi. The ethnicity of the governor, whether Kurdish, Arab, or Turkmen, is irrelevant as long as the city's identity remains Iraqi," al-Khazali noted, referring to the agreement as the "Iraqization" of Kirkuk.

In contrast, al-Khazali criticized the KDP's stance, noting that the party does not recognize Kirkuk as an Iraqi city. "Although Kurdistan is officially part of Iraq, and Article 140 exists, the KDP seeks to incorporate Kirkuk into the Kurdistan Region. However, our intention is to maintain Kirkuk as an Iraqi city, with no ties to the Kurdistan Region, similar to Mosul and Diyala," he added.

Al-Khazali's comments follow the recent election of Rebwar Taha as governor and Mohammed Hafez as speaker of the Kirkuk Provincial Council. The elections, held on August 10 at the al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad—now referred to as the "al-Rasheed Meeting"—took place without the participation of the KDP, the Turkmen Front, and several Arab council members.

Kirkuk, a city classified as a disputed area under Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, remains a focal point of political tensions. The article outlines a three-stage process—normalization, compensation, and referendum—to determine whether Kirkuk will remain under Iraqi control or be integrated into the Kurdistan Region. However, progress on this issue has been stalled due to ongoing political complexities.