PUK: Uncertainties in post-IS Iraq led Kurdistan to schedule referendum

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said he asserted uncertainties regarding the future of Iraq "pushed the Kurdistan Region to hold an independence referendum" in discussions between the PUK delegation and Iranian officials in Tehran.

A PUK delegation visited Tehran this week and met with Iranian officials to address the upcoming Kurdish independence referendum scheduled for Sep.25, 2017.

On Tuesday, PUK Deputy Leader Kosrat Rasul and head of the PUK’s executive body Mala Bakhtiyar, along with other party members including the KRG Representative to Iran Nazim Dabagh, led a delegation to Tehran.

The delegation met with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and discussed the contentious vote for Kurdish independence.

Following the PUK delegation's return to Sulaimani province on Tuesday, Bakhtiyar told reporters they responded to Iran's position on the Kurdish referendum in four separate meetings with Iranian officials.

“We frankly told them that we, as Kurds, live in uncertainty due to the current situation in Iraq, the post-Da’esh [Islamic State (IS)] fight, and the disputed territories. We, therefore, decided to hold the referendum to guarantee a path for our future,” Bakhtiyar said.

He also mentioned that the decision of holding the vote is "not based on one party," but rather an impartial decision by the Kurdistan Region's parties.

“Sixteen parties, including those who were not present during the [referendum] meeting, agreed on the shared objective of the decision.”

In a statement published by the Iranian Parliament's Press Office, Larijani told the delegates that since Mosul was now liberated, it would be time for them as officials from Iraq and the [Kurdistan] Region, "to think about rebuilding the country and find proper measures for the current economic situation.”

He mentioned those who support the split are "enemies" of Iraq, and that it would eventually create tensions and “destroy all the current achievements of the [Kurdistan] Region.”

Larijani also noted Iraq "may have failed to meet the demands of all of its people," but that it was important to mention that the Kurdistan Region has made great progress since 2003.

The PUK delegation also met with the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, who told the group that the referendum would "isolate Kurds" and put pressure on the Kurdish people of Iraq.

Independence has been a long–awaited dream for Kurds across the world. Kurdish senior officials have repeatedly mentioned Baghdad has ignored the constitution and treated the people of the Kurdistan Region as "second-class citizens."

“The people of the Kurdistan Region have the right to decide on their future peacefully,” President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani has repeatedly stated.

Editing by G.H. Renaud