Iran, Turkey vow to halt Iraqi Kurds' secession

The presidents of Iran and Turkey vowed during talks in Tehran yesterday to work closely together to prevent the disintegration of Iraq and Syria and to oppose the Iraqi Kurds' drive for independence.

Shia Muslim Iran and mainly Sunni Muslim Turkey, a Nato member, have traditionally had cool relations but both have been alarmed by the Iraqi Kurds' vote for independence in a Sept 25 referendum, fearing it will stoke separatism among their own Kurdish populations.

"We want security and stability in the Middle East ... The independence referendum in Iraq's Kurdistan is a sectarian plot by foreign countries and is rejected by Tehran and Ankara," Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said, according to state TV.

"We will not accept a change of borders under any circumstances."

Iran and Turkey have already threatened to join Baghdad in imposing economic sanctions on Iraqi Kurdistan and have launched joint military exercises with Iraqi troops on their borders with the separatist region.

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan, who is on a one-day trip to Tehran that will also include talks with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Ankara was considering taking further measures against Iraqi Kurdistan.

Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region announced on Tuesday it was calling presidential and parliamentary elections for Nov 1. Baghdad has responded with further punitive measures.

"There is no country other than Israel that recognises it . A referendum which was conducted by sitting side by side with Mossad has no legitimacy," he said, referring to the Israeli intelligence agency.

Israel has denied Turkey's previous claims of involvement in the vote, but has welcomed the Kurds' vote for independence.