Kurdistan referendum: Iraq refuses talks with Kurds while Iran closes border over independence vote fears
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Baghdad, September 26: Kurds has been a major debate in Middle East, especially in Iran and Iraq. And yesterday, Iran has closed its border with the Kurdish region of Iraq at the request of Baghdad. Land crossings into Iran were shut to Iraqi Kurdistan on Monday, as Iraq's 8.4 million Kurds lined up at polling stations to vote in a referendum on creating an independent state.
The poll on support for Kurdish independence - which is non-binding and not recognised by Baghdad - has angered the central government, which sees it as a Kurdish attempt to exert greater control over Iraq's oil reserves. Ths US has repeatedly attempted to persuade the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) to delay the referendum, fearing further friction between Irbil and Baghdad could derail the fight against IS.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Bahram Ghasemi said on Monday that the vote could "lead to developments and happenings that could affect all people of the region and especially Kurdish people". Meanwhile, Turkey has confirmed that it will conduct military drills along the Iraq-Kurdish region.
Kurds were left stateless when the Ottoman Empire collapsed a century ago, from then Kurds have remained a minority population in the Middle East. Iran, which also has a significant Kurdish population, is also opposed to the creation of an independent Kurdistan, which could fuel the desire for Kurdish independence in its own territories as well as in Syria and Turkey. UN opposes the vote and has called on Kurdish President Masoud Barzani to instead enter negotiations with Baghdad to reaching in a deal.