From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's Prime Minister says he is prepared to use military force if a planned referendum on Kurdish independence turns violent. The Kurds in Iraq have come under increasing pressure from regional powers and […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq says the date to hold an independence referendum has been set and won't be changed. That was in response to a request by US secretary of […]
By Fazel Hawramy for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iran Business News. Iran and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have become entangled in a war of words as the referendum on Iraqi Kurdistan’s independence nears. Both sides are now making veiled threats, which — if they […]
By Nahwi Saeed for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. In a July 19 statement, Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani said that holding a referendum is a natural right of the people of Kurdistan that they will not back […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. With the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group defeated by government forces in northern Iraq, the question of Kurdish independence could pose a new problem in the country. Tensions have […]
By Kamal Chomani for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. After decades of waiting, the Kurds are finally set to hold a referendum on independence in the fall. Massoud Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, met June 7 with Kurdish political parties to discuss the […]
By Omar Sattar for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraqi Kurdistan faces many Obstacles to Independence Referendum Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced May 24 that it had formally informed the United Nations Security Council of its intention […]
By John Lee. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is to hold a referendum on independence on 25th September. According to BBC News, there was no immediate comment from Iraq's central government, but it has urged Kurds not to hold a referendum. Moves towards outright independence have historically been opposed by the governments of neighbouring Iran, […]
By John Lee. A new report from the British House of Lords' Select Committee on International Relations has recommended that the United Kingdom should not support Kurdish independence. Describing the Iraqi Kurds as "a valuable ally", the report -- The Middle East: Time for New Realism -- says that while the UK should support the Kurdistan […]
By Hamdi Malik for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. As talk of an independence referendum for Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) grows, Iran's role is becoming more visible, especially that of Qasem Soleimani (pictured), the powerful commander of […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. In 2014, following the withdrawal of Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga troops seized the oil-rich city of Kirkuk from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Two years on and with a […]
By John Lee. Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani (pictured) has said he wants to reach an amicable agreement with Baghdad, but stressed that Kurds will "not accept to be subordinates". In his address on the occasion of Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, the President said: “We have two options before us: either we forget the […]
