Iran is trying to facilitate fence-mending efforts between the Baghdad government and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, which have been locked in a dispute following a contentious independence referendum held by the latter, the ambassador to Iraq said.
“Iran is trying to help improve relations between Baghdad and Erbil, in a way that serves their mutual interests,” Iraj Masjedi told a press conference in Tehran on Saturday, ISNA reported.
There were reports early this month of an agreement between the two sides of the conflict to form a committee to reach a settlement after Erbil officials approved handing over the border crossings and airports to the federal government, demands that the government had set as preconditions for negotiations since the eruption of the crisis.
The Kurdistan Regional Government went ahead with the plan to hold the separatist vote on September 25, despite the opposition of Iraq’s neighbors, including Iran and Turkey, the United Nations and some western powers.
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