“As for the developments in Spain, as you have correctly noted, Moscow’s consistent position is that it is a domestic affair of the kingdom,” Peskov told journalists, TASS news agency reported.

He refrained from commenting on police actions in Catalonia on the voting day, saying only that “Moscow thinks it inappropriate when anybody comments on the methods of work of Russian law enforcers.”

On Sunday, Catalonia held a referendum on secession from Spain. A total of 90% of voters, or slightly more than two million people, said “yes” to Catalonia’s independence. The plebiscite was held in the tense atmosphere as the national police and civil guard were taking effort to stop the voting, seizing ballot boxes and papers, as ruled by a Spain court.

The Catalan authorities planned to open about 2,300 polling stations, of which about 300 were closed by law enforcers. Police actions sparked clashes with the voters. Police were reported to use rubber bullets and tear gas. According to the Catalan authorities, as many as 844 people were hurt in police violence. The Spanish interior ministry, in turn, said that 13 law enforcers had been hurt in clashes.

Speaking at a meeting with Turkey’s Chief of the General Staff General Hulusi Akar in Tehran on Monday, Shamkhani said the KRG’s approach to hold the independence vote last Monday in the Kurdistan Region was “irresponsible and amateurish”.

“Paying no attention to the time and security requirements and pursuing tribal goals through this move will reduce the focus on the fight against Takfiri terrorism as the most important threat to the region and will rapidly spread the harmful security impacts on the Kurdish region of Iraq,” he said.

Shamkhani also stressed the need for coordinated efforts among Tehran, Baghdad and Ankara to manage developments and prevent the negative effect of the independence vote on the fight against terrorism in Iraq.

The Turkish top commander, for his part, stressed the need to support the central government in Iraq and preserve the integrity of the Arab country.

He said Iran, Iraq and Turkey will prevent the implementation of separatist plans in the region through joint efforts.

The Iraqi Kurdistan Region went ahead with its plan to hold the referendum last Monday while Iraq’s neighbors and countries in the Middle East, including Iran and Turkey, had voiced opposition to such a move and supported the Baghdad central government.

Thousands of Kurdish people in favor of KRG’s secession from Iraq took to the streets in Erbil that night, with some waving Israeli flags to celebrate.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the only leader in the region to endorse the referendum, while all neighbors have warned that the secession plan would bring instability to the region and disintegrate Iraq.

According to local health services, four people have been wounded seriously, but remain in stable condition.

It was earlier reported that at least 844 civilians and 33 law enforcers were injured in the clashes that erupted in Catalonia during the referendum on Sunday, Sputnik reported.

Madrid officials sent the Spanish National Police Corps and Civil Guard who tried to prevent the region’s residents from taking part in the vote.

Authorities in Catalonia are claiming that 90 percent of those who voted in the independence referendum are opting to break away from Madrid. Catalan President Charles Puigdemont said in a live televised speech on Sunday that Catalans had won the right to sovereignty.

Puigdemont has already called on the European Union not to ignore violations of human rights by the Spanish police during clashes with the supporters of referendum.

In a statement, signed by 210 lawmakers, the parliament voiced support for the Iraqi government and legislature and condemned the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG’s) plan to secede from Iraq.

The Iranian parliament believes that any measure creating crisis in Iraq would harm the Arab country’s democratic progress and that separatist measures are detrimental to the Iraqi nation and the entire region, the statement added.

The lawmakers also asked the Iranian administration to promote cooperation with the Baghdad government to prevent Zionists adventurism in Iraq.

The Iraqi Kurdistan Region went ahead with its plan to hold the referendum on Monday while Iraq’s neighbors and countries in the Middle East, including Iran and Turkey, had voiced opposition to such a move and supported the Baghdad central government.

On Monday night, thousands of Kurdish people in favor of KRG’s secession from Iraq took to the streets in Erbil, with some waving Israeli flags to celebrate.

In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi on Sunday night, President Rouhani voiced Iran’s full support for the Iraqi central government, expressing confidence that Baghdad would successfully deal with the problem of Kurdistan region’s referendum.

Iran stresses the need for respect for the Iraqi Constitution, the president added, noting that any violation of the Constitution would spell an illegal action.

Highlighting Iran and Turkey’s common views about the controversial Kurdish referendum and their joint support for Baghdad, the president said Iran will stand by the neighboring Iraq.

For his part, Abadi denounced the Kurdistan region’s decision to secede from Iraq as an action against the Arab country’s territorial integrity and Constitution.

He also warned that president of the Kurdish region Masoud Barzani’s stances would incite new confrontations in Iraq.

The result of the referendum in the Kurdistan region will be of no validity whatsoever, the Iraqi premier underlined, recommending the KRG officials to avoid plans to rip the country apart.

While Iraq’s Kurds have rushed headlong into a vote for independence on Monday, all neighbors and countries in the Middle East, including Iran and Turkey, have voiced opposition to the vote.

On Sunday, Iran declared a ban on direct flights to and from Kurdistan at Baghdad’s request, while Iraq asked foreign to stop direct oil trading with Kurdistan and demanded that the KRG hands over control of its international airports and border posts with Iran, Turkey and Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday demanded that Iraqi Kurds call off a weekend referendum on independence, hinting at consequences if they go ahead.

“Steps such as demands for independence that can cause new crises and conflicts in the region must be avoided. We hereby call on the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government to abort the initiative they have launched in that direction,” Erdogan said in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

“Ignoring the clear and determined stance of Turkey on this matter may lead to a process that shall deprive the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government of even the opportunities it currently enjoys,” he said.

Despite, Erdogan fierce opposition, there are people inside the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) that are opposed to Erdogan.

Galib Ansarioglu, Diyarbakir deputy in the Turkey parliament and member of AKP said that “Opposition with referendum is a mistake.”

He questioned Erdogan fierce opposition with control of oil-rich Kirkuk by Kurds and asked the question that “why he supposes Kurdish control over the region is a crisis.”

Other member of AKP showed fierce reaction to this Kurdish deputy of parliament and Deputy for Istanbul and member of the Justice and Development Party Hasan Turan said to Tasnim that Ansarioglu remarks is provocative and divides the Turkey people in to Kurds and Turks.

“The AKP foreign policy should be also criticized,” he said, noting that the Syrian developments should have been predicted before establishment of a terrorist state north of Syria.

Meanwhile, other Turkish parties believe that Erdogan has not adopted enough measures to prevent referendum in the Iraqi Kurdish region and it has followed the policies dictated by the US in this regard.

For instance, Öztürk Yılmaz, deputy leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Turkey said to Tasnim that “The referendum is in general a dangerous move and is not at the interest of regional countries.”

He criticized the Turkish government officials and the AKP ruling party for not “adopting a firm and clear stance on the issue.”

“Why Erdogan and the AKP officials do not react to controversial remarks of Galib Ansarioglu, Diyarbakir deputy in the Turkish parliament and member of AKP?” the Turkish politician said.

Sadettin Tantan, current leader of the Turkey’s Homeland Party also told Tasnim that Turkey is not unaware about the developments regarding ‘Great Middle East’ Project but the governing system ignores this project and its targets.

“Turkey has no chance to oppose the referendum” because the Turkish officials decide after meeting the US president, he said in a reference to the fact that AKP follows the US regional policies.

Tantan criticized the current Turkish authorities’ efforts for remaining in power and noted that “such authorities cannot counter imperialistic projects because if they oppose, they will be ousted.”

Hasan Bitmez Vice President of the Felicity Party is opposed to use of military threatening of the Kurds in Iraq, noting that “the language of diplomacy should be used for resolution of crisis.”

He referred to Turkish government economic relations with the Kurdish semi-autonomous region and noted that “It will be a strategic mistake for the Turkish government not to oppose the Iraqi Kurdistan region’s referendum” for the sake of the economic opportunities.

As Iraq’s Kurds are rushing headlong into a vote for independence on Monday, all neighbors and countries in the Middle East, including Iran and Turkey, are trying to persuade the Erbil government to cancel the referendum.

They warn 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.

“Nobody would tolerate an independent Kurdistan, and the Kurds would not pursue independence if they exercise wisdom,” Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan, an adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said on Saturday.

Reminding the Kurdish officials that their region is landlocked, the Iranian general said the neighbors would never agree with such an independence plan.

Barzani is trying to gain concessions from Iraq’s central government, Dehqan added.

As Iraq’s Kurds are rushing headlong into a vote for independence on Monday, all neighbors and countries in the Middle East, including Iran and Turkey, are trying to persuade the Erbil government to cancel the referendum.

They warn 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.