Iran reaffirms support for Iraq amid Kurdish vote

“Our position is totally clear. This measure came at a wrong juncture and lacked the necessary logic,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said at a press conference on Monday, adding that the vote was held as “the Iraqi government had managed to score gains to a large extent in the fight against terrorism.”

The vote was announced earlier in the year much to the consternation of the international community that warned it could most likely throw the already violence-weary country into more trouble. Despite all opposition, the referendum was held on Monday.

“We emphasize on Iraq’s territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and the trend of democratic developments in the country,” Qassemi said, adding, “Whatever measure that contradicts Iraq’s stability, security and territorial integrity is unwarranted and wrong.”
  The official also roundly rejected some Western media reports, which came out on Sunday alleging that Iran had bombarded Iraq’s Kurdistan region, calling them media hype on the eve of the referendum.

Qassemi also said Iran’s closure of its borders with the region came at a request from the Iraqi government.

US travel ban
Qassemi also commented on US President Donald Trump’s new travel ban that targets citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen with further restrictions in traveling to the US.

“This is an inhumane, irrelevant, and wrong move, which is condemnable and detestable,” he said.
The new travel restrictions will come into effect on October 18.

/SR