Iran warned on Sunday that independence for Iraqi Kurdistan would mean an end to all border and security arrangements with the regional government.
"Border agreements stand only with the central government of Iraq, and secession of Kurdistan region from the central government of Iraq would mean the blocking of all shared border crossings," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told the state broadcaster IRIB.
"The secession of the Kurdistan region from Iraq's territory would be the end of security and military agreements between Iran and the Kurdistan region," he added.
The leaders of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region are set to hold a referendum on independence on September 25.
Although the referendum would not be legally binding, Shamkhani said that any move towards independence could lead to Iran disregarding rules of engagement along the border.
"Iran would then prepare itself to enter areas deeper than the border in response to anti-security actions," he said, referring to regular attacks by Iran's own Kurdish separatists based in Iraqi territory.
Tehran, which has worked closely with Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq against the Islamic State group, fears the independence movement could encourage separatists among its own Kurdish population.
Shemkhani repeated the official line that Iran would only ever recognise the "united, integrated and federal government of Iraq".
Iraq's Kurds have also come under intense diplomatic pressure from the United Nations, United States and neighbouring Turkey to cancel the referendum amid fears it will add yet another source of conflict to the combustible region.
UN chief urges Iraqi Kurds to scrap referendum
United Nations, United States (AFP) Sept 17, 2017 –
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday urged Iraqi Kurds to scrap plans to hold a referendum on independence later this month, arguing it would detract from the fight against Islamic State jihadists.
Guterres said in a statement that any dispute between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan regional government should be resolved through dialogue and "constructive compromise."
The leaders of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region are set to hold a referendum on independence on September 25.
Guterres said "any unilateral decision to hold a referendum at this time would detract from the need to defeat ISIL", the Islamic State group.
It would also undermine reconstruction efforts and the return of refugees, he added.
On Friday, the United States said the referendum should be called off, a stance also pushed by neighboring Turkey which fears another source of conflict in the region.
Iran warned on Sunday that independence for Iraqi Kurdistan would mean an end to all border and security arrangements with the regional government.
Guterres urged Iraqi leaders to "approach this matter with patience and restraint" and offered UN help to address the issue.
UN envoy to Iraq Jan Kubis told Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani last week that the United Nations was ready to broker negotiations to address "all the problems and outstanding issues" between the Kurds and Baghdad, according to a document obtained by AFP.
The negotiations would aim to reach a deal within two or three years on the "principles and arrangements" for future relations between Baghdad and the Kurdish region, the document said.
In return, Barzani's administration would agree to postpone the referendum at least until the end of negotiations.
UN urges Iraqi Kurds to drop referendum, hold talks
The United Nations has urged Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani to drop plans for a controversial independence referendum and enter talks with Baghdad aimed at reaching a deal within three years.
Jan Kubis, the top UN envoy in Iraq, offered international backing for immediate negotiations between the country's federal government and the autonomous Kurdish region.
In a document he delive … read more
