TEHRAN, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday said that the Islamic republic insists on the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.
Iran does not accept any move which undermines the stability, security and integrity of Iraq, Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, said at his weekly press conference.
Qasemi made the remarks with reference to the independence referendum underway in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region.
The decision by the Kurdish authorities to hold the vote might have unprecedented consequences for both the regional people and the Kurds themselves, he added.
Iran has constantly been in contact with the Kurdish officials, and has insisted that the Kurdish region should have solved its problems with Baghdad central government through political dialog, the spokesman said.
Iran believes that the unilateral move by Iraq's Kurdistan is taking place in an improper time without the necessary prudence, he said, stressing that the move undermines the central government's achievements in the fight against terrorism.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday discussed the Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum on the phone, and both sides emphasized their coordinated opposing stance over the referendum.
The integrity of Iraq is highly important for Iran, Rouhani said, adding that the security of his country and the region is, to a significant degree, depends on this factor.
This is a clear message for those who are going to disturb the security and stability of the region, Rouhani pointed out.
In another telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday, Rouhani said that Iran was against any move that would undermine Iraq's territorial integrity and national unity.
