Massoud Barzan

Massoud Barzan is the first and current President of Kurdistan. He aqirred his position January 13, 2008 when Kurdistan became its own nation and will carry out his six-year term until 2014. He has supported Kurdish Independence from Iraq since the Iran-Iraq War. His administration's challanges include the Syrian Uprising, the currently hostile Iraq to the south, and interior issues such as abuse of women's rights. He also supports both minority rights and religious freedom, being one of the only few nations to allow freedom of religion.