Kurdish Referendum Lacking Logic: Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi criticized the unilateral move by Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region to hold an independence referendum on Monday and said it took place without the necessary prudence.
“Our stance is clear, the move (independence referendum) occurred at an improper time and lacked the necessary logic,” Qassemi said at his weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday.
He said the vote is underway at a time when the central government in Iraq has gained numerous achievements in the fight against terrorism.
The spokesman also said Iran and the Kurdistan Region’s authorities have been in contact over the past weeks and held talks on the referendum, adding that Tehran has called Erbil to resolve any possible problems with Baghdad through political dialogue.
As Iraq’s Kurds are rushing headlong into a vote for independence, neighbors and countries in the Middle East, including Iran and Turkey, were trying to persuade the Erbil government to cancel the referendum.
They warned that the vote could unleash ethnic violence, tear Iraq apart and fracture the forces combatting Daesh (ISIL) terrorists.
The UN Security Council has also warned of the potentially destabilizing impact of the planned referendum.