Shamkhani:

Kurdish referendum plan to weaken entire Iraq

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iran’s SNSC head Shamkhani warned that the decision by Iraqi Kurdistan Region to hold an independence referendum would isolate Iraqi Kurds and weaken Kurdistan region and the entire Arab country.

News ID: 65328

Date: 18 July 2017 - 12:26

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with a high-ranking delegation from Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) on Monday in Tehran.

Shamkhani added that the plan ran counter to the policies and initiatives of the Iraqi officials and was not considered as a priority and actual requirement of the country’s people.

The Iranian senior official noted that certain regional and extra-regional countries sought to weaken Iraq and major countries in West Asia, highlighting that such arrogant and imported plots such as the Greater Middle East should be thwarted by remaining vigilant and keeping in mind national interests and those of the Muslim world.

"A secure, stable and united Iraq promotes the country’s sustainable security, stability and progress and friendly countries to Iraq must support such an approach,” Shamkhani added.

For his part, the PUK’s Deputy Secretary Generals Kosrat Rasul Ali, who headed the delegation to Tehran, presented Shamkhani with a report on the latest developments in Iraqi Kurdistan Region and noted Iran’s constant support to the Iraqi Kurds.

Highlighting the deep-rooted and historical relations between Iran and the Kurdistan region, Rasul Ali added "while takfiri terrorists had closed in on Erbil, Iran was the only country that prevented a security crisis in the Kurdistan region by combating ISIL in earnest.”