Pars Today

The Leader's top aide for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati blasted the US and Israel for attempts to stir tension among the regional nations by orchestrating a referendum in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

"The Americans are behind the scene and the Israelis are on the scene of the referendum as they have grown disappointed at the Daesh and now have resorted to fomenting hatred among Muslims which will certainly fail," Velayati told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday.

Stressing that Kurdistan is a part of Iraq, Velyati, who is a top advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in international affairs, said, "The Iraqi people will not keep mum on the issue and will stand against such a disgusting deviation. Barzani (President of Iraqi Kurdistan region) should either withdraw or face the Iraqi people's confrontation."

The referendum was held on Monday in defiance of the central government in Baghdad, which says the referendum is unconstitutional and called on the Kurdish leadership to drop the plan.

EA