KRG referendum Archives - Iran News Daily

Iran Has Been Always Honest to Iraq’s Kurdistan

reporter 1222 — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 08:47:08 +0000

TEHRAN – Nazem Dabbagh, a representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), says the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy towards the KRG has always been based on good relation and ethnical, cultural and racial commonalities, and predicted the relation would remain good in the future.

Visiting Iran News pavilion in the 23^rd Press and News Agencies Exhibition, Dabbagh reiterated that he has time and again said that Iran is more transparent and honest than other countries. He noted that from the day one, Iran has opposed the referendum in the region but it has also announced readiness to defend the rights of people in the region based on the Iraq Constitution and for the sake of unity in Iraq.

Dabbagh said that Iraqi Kurds will never forget Iran’s support against the atrocities of Saddam Regime as well as against the Daesh forces. He concluded that for Iraqi Kurds, Iran’s stand is different from others.

He went on to say that Iraqi Kurdistan referendum is a finished issue, adding that since Masoud Barzani has suspended the referendum, it is expected talks with the central government to begin soon.

He reiterated that if the Iraqi government sticks to its words and undertakings, people of the KRG will not pursue partition.

Dabbagh went on to say that the KRG officials did not mean partition by holding referendum, and it was just a sign of protest to the central government for injustice against Kurds. He reiterated that when a government does not fulfill its undertakings towards its people, it then should expect protests and reactions.

On the support of Israel from independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, he said it was just a propagation because there is no bond between Iraqi Kurdistan and Israel. He noted that most of the KRG’s officials were aware of the dangers of Israel’s support because several Arab countries like Egypt, Jordan or Qatar have embassies in Tel Aviv and such a support was aimed at creating rift.

On the future of leadership of the KRG, he said Masoud Bazani is a charismatic leader for Kurds in the region and it is not expected him to run for leadership after his term is over. He added that he would support a certain candidate or group which has not been revealed yet.

by : Mohammad lotfollahi

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KRG referendum ‘Barzani’s coup against rivals’

reporter 1222 — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 10:17:54 +0000

Former IRGC General Mohsen Rezaei said the independence referendum held by the Iraqi Kurdistan region was KRG President Masoud Barzani’s coup against his rivals to expunge them from the Kurdish region.

“Barzani sought to put either himself or his representative in the position of Iraq’s Kurdish president,” Secretary of Iran’s Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei said in a tweet on Friday.

“[The referendum] was not about the interest of the Kurdish people,” Rezaei said. “It was only aimed at an internal clean-up and promoting the sentiments of heroism.”

The controversial referendum was held on Monday in Iraq’s Kurdistan despite widespread calls for its cancellation.

According to Kurdish officials, over 90 percent of the voters said ‘Yes’ to separation from Iraq, while the United Nations, the US, and all major regional and international parties, except for Israel, voiced strong opposition to the plan.

In a statement on Friday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington does not recognize the Kurdistan Regional Government’s unilateral referendum held on Monday.

“The vote and the results lack legitimacy and we continue to support a united, federal, democratic and prosperous Iraq,” Tillerson said, adding “the United States asks all parties, including Iraq’s neighbors, to reject unilateral actions and the use of force. We urge calm and an end to vocal recriminations and threats of reciprocal actions.”

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Kurdish Referendum Lacking Logic: Iran

reporter 1222 — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 07:45:54 +0000

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.

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KRG referendum plan to hurt Iraqi Kurds

reporter 1222 — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 05:38:13 +0000

Army Chief Maj. Gen. Bagheri criticized Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s plan to hold a referendum on independence, saying the move would hurt the Kurds in northern Iraq.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri made the remarks on Thursday, saying the current grievous situation in Iraq and lack of unity in the Arab country is due to a lack of following the orders of one leader.

The KRG is going ahead with a referendum on independence on September 25. In a trilateral meeting between foreign ministers of Iran, Iraq, and Turkey on Wednesday, the sides voiced their concern that the planned referendum by the KRG puts Iraq’s hard-earned gains against ISIL under great risk.

They also registered their unequivocal opposition to the referendum, urging the leadership of the KRG to refrain from holding the referendum which could provoke new conflicts in the region.

Elsewhere, Maj. Gen. Bagheri noted US President’s remarks at the UN General Assembly, deeming Trump’s anti-Iran words nothing but mere ‘fireworks’; “The US Army is witness to our defense might as they encounter us in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormoz or across the Southwest Asian region. They should tell their president that the US Army cannot invade and attack Iran.”

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