Friday, September 23, 2016

Iran Says No To Kurds’ Independence From Iraq


On May 5, 2016 an editorial was published in the Washington Post entitled “Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad” by Masrour Barzani, the son of the Kurdish president Massoud Barzani. The article said that the Kurdistan Region would consult with Iran and other regional countries on the proposed independence referendum. The proposal to break away from Iraq was immediately rejected by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The ministry’s spokesman Jaberi Ansari told the press that Tehran stands for the unity of Iraq. He suggested that Iraqi leaders get together and focus upon the real dangers that face the country like the Islamic State. Iran’s opposition to the Kurdish independence was re-iterated in September. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Jaber Ansari was quoted as saying that Kurdish independence would lead to regional instability, the division of other countries, and more wars. Kurdistan will eventually have its sovereignty, but it will take years of negotiations with Baghdad, Syria, Iran and Turkey. Without some kind of regional agreement the existence of the new country could be threatened. Ironically, right now no one in the area is ready to see the Kurds leave except some of Iraq’s ruling parties that are angered by the Kurds moves on issues such as oil, the disputed territories, the budget, etc.

SOURCES

Barzani, Masrour, “Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad,” Washington Post, 5/5/16

eKurd, “Iran rejects Masour Barzani’s remarks over Iraqi Kurdistan independence,” 5/9/16
- “Referendum on Iraqi Kurdistan independence paves way for regional war: Iranian official,” 9/18/16

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