Areen Masroor Barzani: The Price of Privilege in a Starving Nation
Diyar Harki, Journalist and Activist
In a region where children study in collapsing classrooms and families struggle to afford daily meals, the Barzani dynasty continues to drain millions to secure the future of its heirs. The latest symbol of this unchecked corruption is Areen Masroor Barzani, the son of Kurdistan’s prime minister, whose education has been financed with sums that could have transformed the entire public education system.
Following a detailed investigation, we uncovered that Areen’s military training at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK cost a minimum of $350,000—just for tuition. But the real figure is far higher. With extravagant accommodation, personal security, luxury entertainment, and a lavish graduation ceremony, the total price tag for a single year at Sandhurst easily exceeded $1 million.
The British Ministry of Defense, after repeated inquiries under the Freedom of Information Act, acknowledged that international students must pay for their education at Sandhurst. However, they refused to disclose the exact amount, citing potential diplomatic consequences. The secrecy surrounding the payments, combined with the fact that many Sandhurst cadets hail from elite Arab and royal families, raises serious concerns about favoritism and unregulated financial deals behind the scenes.
A Lifetime of Wealth While Kurdistan’s Students Sit on Concrete Blocks
Areen’s luxury education was no accident—it was part of a long, calculated investment to prepare him for future rule. From kindergarten to high school, he studied at Shoaifat International School, owned by his uncle Nechirvan Barzani, costing nearly $500,000 over 14 years. He then attended the American University of Duhok, a private institution controlled by his family, where his four-year degree cost at least $200,000.
By the time Areen graduated in 2023, he had spent over $1.64 million on education—while thousands of Kurdish children study in deteriorating schools, lacking books, desks, and even roofs over their heads. A recent viral photo from Koysanjak showed students sitting on cinder blocks in a crumbling classroom—an image that stands in stark contrast to Areen’s jet-setting lifestyle, where he spent his weekends surfing with Arab sheikhs and being chauffeured in convoys of luxury vehicles.
More Than a Graduation—A Political Coronation
Areen’s graduation was no simple ceremony; it was a calculated display of power. The event was meticulously staged by Kurdistan’s ruling elite, featuring handpicked media coverage from KDP-controlled outlets like Kurdistan 24. He publicly kissed his father’s hand, reinforcing his role as the next link in the dynasty’s chain. Upon returning to Kurdistan, his grandfather Masoud Barzani—the true power behind the throne—granted him the military rank of lieutenant, with the status of a major general.
This is not an education—it is the grooming of a dynasty’s heir, funded by the very people struggling under KDP rule.
The Reality They Want to Silence
While Kurdistan’s leaders ensure that their children inherit luxury, power, and privilege, they leave the rest of the population in despair. Parents sell their belongings to send their children to school, while young graduates with no political connections face a job market dominated by nepotism. Teachers remain unpaid, schools crumble, and the future of an entire generation is stolen—all so the Barzani family can maintain their grip on Kurdistan.
Yet, their control is not absolute. The truth is becoming harder to hide. The contrast between the ruling elite and the suffering public is a ticking time bomb, and no amount of propaganda can suppress the growing resentment.
The Barzanis can continue to secure their own future, but they cannot escape the truth: the people of Kurdistan are watching, and they will not be silent forever.
