TEHRAN – Iran has blocked airspace for all flights from and to Iraqi Kurdistan region as KRG plans to hold an independence referendum on Mon., Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) announced yesterday. Spokesperson for Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said Sunday that upon request from the central government of Iraq, the Islamic Republic […]

TEHRAN – Iran’s former defense minister described the Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s plan to hold an independence referendum as unwise, saying president of the Kurdish region Masoud Barzani appears to be seeking concessions from the Baghdad government with such a referendum. “Nobody would tolerate an independent Kurdistan, and the Kurds would not pursue independence if they […]

A senior Iranian official has expressed the Islamic Republic’s opposition to an upcoming referendum for independence by Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, saying that Tehran supports the Arab country’s territorial integrity. Abbas Araqchi, who is Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, made the remarks during the annual coordination meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic […]

TEHRAN  – Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Tuesday warned of sanctions against the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) if it proceeds with its planned referendum for independence next week. “We have always supported” the KRG, Erdogan told reporters in New York after his address at the UN General Assembly. “We think this approach of theirs […]

TEHRAN – Iranian short ‘Alan’ directed by Mostafa Gandomkar won Best Kurdish Short Film Award at the 5th Duhok International Film Festival in Iraq. ‘Alan’ is a 20-minute long Iranian short film in Kurdish language about the displacement of Kurdish, Syrian and Iraqi families by war. The film is the story of a day in […]

TEHRAN  – Iraq’s President Fuad Masum and Leader of the Arab country’s National Alliance Ammar al-Hakim discussed the issue of the semi-autonomus Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum. According to a statement released by the Iraqi government, the two officials on Monday explored ways for reaching an understanding that could enhance Iraq’s unity and stability, the Baghdad […]

TEHRAN  – Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Iraq’s central government and its neighboring countries, including Iran, are strongly opposed to a unilateral plan by the semi-autonomous Kurdish region to hold an independence referendum. “I believe that holding the referendum in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region would be to the detriment of the people,” Larijani said in […]

TEHRAN  – Tehran’s Provisional Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami warned against the consequences of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s plan to hold an independence referendum later this month, saying the vote is part of a plot to create another Israel in the Middle East. “The independence referendum in the Kurdistan Region is an age-old dream […]