Iraqi defense minister says the army will not allow dividing Iraq

Iraqi defense minister says the army will not allow dividing Iraq

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Editorial Staff in 1 Top News, Politics, Politics

Iraqi Defense Minister Erfan al-Hayali. Photo: IRNA

TEHRAN,— The Iraqi Defense Minister commenting on the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum vows to use the army to prevent the division of Iraq.

During a meeting with the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran (SNSC) in Tehran on Sunday, Iraqi Defense Minister Erfan al-Hayali threatened Kurdistan Region from attempts” to divide the country.”

“The army will intervene to prevent any attempts or illegal measures aimed at dividing the country, stating that this is “a new plot” is against the security and stability of the region, Iranian IRNA New Agency stated on Sunday.

Hayali warned that the Iraqi army will deter any “occupation” or bid “dividing” the country, according to Iran’s state-run news agency.

The Iraqi army independently and based on the past years’ experiences will face any animosity or “occupation” on its land, IRNA reported Hayali, the Iraqi defense minister.

In a possible reference to the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum bid, Hayali added that Baghdad would also disallow any what he described as “illegal measures” and the creation of “sedition” aimed at dividing Iraq.

From his part, Iran’s SNSC, Ali Shamkhani, stressed on Iraq’s territorial integrity and national unity, stating that united Iraq guarantees stability and security of Iraq and protects the interests of all people of the Arab country, MEHR news agency reported.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that the Iraqi government should defend its territorial integrity by preserving political unity to have a more powerful, safe and democratic country in the future. He made the remarks in a meeting with Hayali.

A Kurdish Peshmerga militia official in Iraqi Kurdistan shouted down comments from the Iraqi defense minister.

“The language of threat is expired,” Sarbast Lazgin, deputy Peshmerga minister, told Rudaw in response to Erfan al-Hayali, the Iraqi defense minister. “The politics of the Kurdistan Region is clear and open which always emphasizes that problems with Baghdad have to be solved in a peaceful and through talks.”

Lazgin went on to say “threatening is not good. But we from the Kurdistan Region defend ourselves in face of any possible threats from any place.”

The Kurdish Peshmerga official explained that they have “good relations with the Iraqi army on a high level, and these relations would continue and we reject these threats.”

The Kurdistan Region’s political parties, not including the second biggest party of Change (Gorran) Movement and the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG), came to an agreement on June 7 to hold a referendum on the region’s independence on September 25, 2017.

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