Iraqi Kurdistan's parliament named Masrour Barzani as the region's new premier on Tuesday, a day after his cousin was sworn in as its president.

Masrour Barzani, 50, is the son of longtime Iraqi Kurdish leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kurdish-leader-barzani-resigns-after-independence-vote-backfires-23100">Masoud Barzani</a> and had been serving as national security adviser for the autonomous region since 2012.&nbsp;

He won the votes of 87 of the 97 members present in the region's 111-seat chamber -- more than his cousin received when he was elected president late last month.&nbsp;

PM-elect Barzani will have one month to form the autonomous region's cabinet.&nbsp;

The cousins hail from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which was founded by their grandfather Mustafa in 1946 and remains dominated by the Barzani clan.

Its main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), boycotted Nechirvan's election as president but at least some of its MPs took part in Tuesday's session.&nbsp;

Born in Arbil in 1969, Masrour joined the Kurdish security forces, known as the peshmerga, as a 16-year-old.&nbsp;

He attended school in neighbouring Iran, then returned to Iraqi Kurdistan to take part in the 1991 uprising against then-dictator Saddam Hussein before travelling to the US to complete his graduate studies.

During his tenure as a national security adviser, Barzani had a major role in the region's fightback against the Islamic State jihadist group, which swept across a third of Iraq in 2014.

He succeeds his cousin Nechirvan who had served as prime minister since 2012.&nbsp;

Nechirvan is now the KRG's second president after Masoud Barzani, who resigned after 12 years in office following a controversial 2017 referendum on Kurdish independence that prompted Baghdad to reoccupy large swathes of Kurdish-held territory.&nbsp;

Iraqi Kurdistan's parliament named Masrour Barzani as the region's new premier on Tuesday, a day after his cousin was sworn in as its president. Masrour Barzani, 50, is the son of longtime Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani and had been serving as national security adviser for the autonomous region since 2012.

Iraqi Kurdistan's parliament named Masrour Barzani as the region's new premier on Tuesday, a day after his cousin was sworn in as its president. Masrour Barzani, 50, is the son of longtime Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani and had been serving as national security adviser for the autonomous region since 2012. He won the votes of 87 of the 97 members present in the region's 111-seat chamber -- more than his cousin received when he was elected president late last month. PM-elect Barzani will have one month to form the autonomous region's cabinet. The cousins hail from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which was founded by their grandfather Mustafa in 1946 and remains dominated by the Barzani clan. Its main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), boycotted Nechirvan's election as president but at least some of its MPs took part in Tuesday's session. Born in Arbil in 1969, Masrour joined the Kurdish security forces, known as the peshmerga, as a 16-year-old. He attended school in neighbouring Iran, then returned to Iraqi Kurdistan to take part in the 1991 uprising against then-dictator Saddam Hussein before travelling to the US to complete his graduate studies. During his tenure as a national security adviser, Barzani had a major role in the region's fightback against the Islamic State jihadist group, which swept across a third of Iraq in 2014. He succeeds his cousin Nechirvan who had served as prime minister since 2012. Nechirvan is now the KRG's second president after Masoud Barzani, who resigned after 12 years in office following a controversial 2017 referendum on Kurdish independence that prompted Baghdad to reoccupy large swathes of Kurdish-held territory.

Iraq Kurds name president's cousin Masrour Barzani as their new Prime Minister

Iraqi Kurds began voting on Monday in a historic independence referendum despite the opposition of Baghdad and neighbouring states, AFP reporters said.

The vote, initiated by veteran leader Massud Barzani, is being held across the three northern provinces of autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan, Arbil, Sulaimaniyah and Dohuk, as well as in disputed bordering zones such as the oil-rich province of Kirkuk.

The non-binding vote on the Kurds` long-cherished dream of independence, initiated by veteran leader Massud Barzani, has angered not only the federal government but also neighbouring Turkey and Iran, concerned it could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. 
 
A total of 12,072 polling stations for the more than 5.3 million registered voters are to stay open for 12 hours from 8:00 am (0500 GMT). 
 
Initial results are expected to be announced 24 hours after the vote but an overwhelming &quot;Yes&quot; outcome is not in doubt, with Kurdish flags festooned in all the streets, on cars and outside homes across Iraqi Kurdistan. 
 
As Barzani pledged on Sunday to go ahead with the historic referendum after having resisted a barrage of international pressure to call it off, Iraq`s leader pledged to take all the &quot;necessary measures&quot; to protect the country`s unity and his government targeted the Kurds` oil sales. 
 
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that taking the Kurds` unilateral decision to stage a referendum affected both Iraqi and regional security, and was &quot;unconstitutional and against civil peace&quot;. 
 
&quot;We will take the necessary measures to preserve the unity of the country,&quot; he said, without elaborating. 
 
Hours later, the Iraqi government at a meeting of its security cabinet called on all countries &quot;to deal only with it on matters of oil and borders&quot;. 
 
The Iraqi Kurds export an average 600,000 barrels per day&nbsp;through a pipeline running through Turkey to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. 
 
Tehran also upped the pressure on Sunday, saying it had blocked all flights to and from Iraqi Kurdistan at Baghdad`s request. 
 
Washington and many Western states had opposed the vote, saying it would hamper the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group in which cooperation between Baghdad and the Kurds has been key. 
 
But Barzani said the Kurds` &quot;partnership with Baghdad&quot; since the ousted of dictator Saddam Hussein in the 2003 US-led invasion had failed and urged his people to turn out and vote. 
 
&quot;We expect reactions from one side or another but we are convinced that whatever the risk and the price, it`s better than waiting for a dark outcome,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;The referendum is not for defining borders or imposing a fait accompli. We want a dialogue with Baghdad to resolve the problems, and the dialogue can last one or two years,&quot; Barzani said of zones such as Kirkuk.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that taking the Kurds` unilateral decision to stage a referendum affected both Iraqi and regional security, and was 'unconstitutional and against civil peace'

Iraqi Kurds began voting on Monday in a historic independence referendum despite the opposition of Baghdad and neighbouring states, AFP reporters said. The vote, initiated by veteran leader Massud Barzani, is being held across the three northern provinces of autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan, Arbil, Sulaimaniyah and Dohuk, as well as in disputed bordering zones such as the oil-rich province of Kirkuk. The non-binding vote on the Kurds` long-cherished dream of independence, initiated by veteran leader Massud Barzani, has angered not only the federal government but also neighbouring Turkey and Iran, concerned it could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. A total of 12,072 polling stations for the more than 5.3 million registered voters are to stay open for 12 hours from 8:00 am (0500 GMT). Initial results are expected to be announced 24 hours after the vote but an overwhelming "Yes" outcome is not in doubt, with Kurdish flags festooned in all the streets, on cars and outside homes across Iraqi Kurdistan. As Barzani pledged on Sunday to go ahead with the historic referendum after having resisted a barrage of international pressure to call it off, Iraq`s leader pledged to take all the "necessary measures" to protect the country`s unity and his government targeted the Kurds` oil sales. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that taking the Kurds` unilateral decision to stage a referendum affected both Iraqi and regional security, and was "unconstitutional and against civil peace". "We will take the necessary measures to preserve the unity of the country," he said, without elaborating. Hours later, the Iraqi government at a meeting of its security cabinet called on all countries "to deal only with it on matters of oil and borders". The Iraqi Kurds export an average 600,000 barrels per day through a pipeline running through Turkey to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. Tehran also upped the pressure on Sunday, saying it had blocked all flights to and from Iraqi Kurdistan at Baghdad`s request. Washington and many Western states had opposed the vote, saying it would hamper the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group in which cooperation between Baghdad and the Kurds has been key. But Barzani said the Kurds` "partnership with Baghdad" since the ousted of dictator Saddam Hussein in the 2003 US-led invasion had failed and urged his people to turn out and vote. "We expect reactions from one side or another but we are convinced that whatever the risk and the price, it`s better than waiting for a dark outcome," he said. "The referendum is not for defining borders or imposing a fait accompli. We want a dialogue with Baghdad to resolve the problems, and the dialogue can last one or two years," Barzani said of zones such as Kirkuk.

Polls open for Iraqi Kurdistan independence vote

Iraqi Kurds are to vote in an independence referendum Monday in defiance of Baghdad which has warned of &quot;measures&quot; to defend Iraq&#39;s unity and threatened to deprive their region of lifeline oil revenues.

The non-binding vote on the Kurds&#39; long-cherished dream of independence, initiated by veteran leader Massud Barzani, has angered not only the federal government but also neighbouring Turkey and Iran, concerned it could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities.

A total of 12,072 polling stations for the more than 5.3 million registered voters were to stay open for 12 hours from 8:00 am (0500 GMT).

The stations are scattered across the three northern provinces of autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan, Arbil, Sulaimaniyah and Dohuk, as well as in disputed bordering zones such as the oil-rich province of Kirkuk.

Initial results are expected to be announced 24 hours after the vote but an overwhelming &quot;Yes&quot; outcome is not in doubt, with Kurdish flags festooned in all the streets, on cars and outside homes across Iraqi Kurdistan.

As Barzani pledged on Sunday to go ahead with the historic referendum after having resisted a barrage of international pressure to call it off, Iraq&#39;s leader pledged to take all the &quot;necessary measures&quot; to protect the country&#39;s unity and his government targeted the Kurds&#39; oil sales.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that taking the Kurds&#39; unilateral decision to stage a referendum affected both Iraqi and regional security, and was &quot;unconstitutional and against civil peace&quot;. 
&quot;We will take the necessary measures to preserve the unity of the country,&quot; he said, without elaborating.

Hours later, the Iraqi government at a meeting of its security cabinet called on all countries &quot;to deal only with it on matters of oil and borders&quot;.

(Also Read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-parliament-rejects-iraqi-kurdish-referendum-lawmaker-20127"> Iraqi parliament rejects Iraqi Kurdish referendum</a>)

The Iraqi Kurds export an average 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) through a pipeline running through Turkey to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean.

Tehran also upped the pressure on Sunday, saying it had blocked all flights to and from Iraqi Kurdistan at Baghdad&#39;s request.

Washington and many Western states had opposed the vote, saying it would hamper the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group in which cooperation between Baghdad and the Kurds has been key.

But Barzani said the Kurds&#39; &quot;partnership with Baghdad&quot; since the ousted of dictator Saddam Hussein in the 2003 US-led invasion had failed and urged his people to turn out and vote.

&quot;We expect reactions from one side or another but we are convinced that whatever the risk and the price, it&#39;s better than waiting for a dark outcome,&quot; he said.

&quot;The referendum is not for defining borders or imposing a fait accompli. We want a dialogue with Baghdad to resolve the problems, and the dialogue can last one or two years,&quot; Barzani said of zones such as Kirkuk.

The non-binding vote on the Kurds' long-cherished dream of independence, initiated by veteran leader Massud Barzani, has angered not only the federal government but also neighbouring Turkey and Iran, concerned it could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities

Iraqi Kurds are to vote in an independence referendum Monday in defiance of Baghdad which has warned of "measures" to defend Iraq's unity and threatened to deprive their region of lifeline oil revenues. The non-binding vote on the Kurds' long-cherished dream of independence, initiated by veteran leader Massud Barzani, has angered not only the federal government but also neighbouring Turkey and Iran, concerned it could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. A total of 12,072 polling stations for the more than 5.3 million registered voters were to stay open for 12 hours from 8:00 am (0500 GMT). The stations are scattered across the three northern provinces of autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan, Arbil, Sulaimaniyah and Dohuk, as well as in disputed bordering zones such as the oil-rich province of Kirkuk. Initial results are expected to be announced 24 hours after the vote but an overwhelming "Yes" outcome is not in doubt, with Kurdish flags festooned in all the streets, on cars and outside homes across Iraqi Kurdistan. As Barzani pledged on Sunday to go ahead with the historic referendum after having resisted a barrage of international pressure to call it off, Iraq's leader pledged to take all the "necessary measures" to protect the country's unity and his government targeted the Kurds' oil sales. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that taking the Kurds' unilateral decision to stage a referendum affected both Iraqi and regional security, and was "unconstitutional and against civil peace". "We will take the necessary measures to preserve the unity of the country," he said, without elaborating. Hours later, the Iraqi government at a meeting of its security cabinet called on all countries "to deal only with it on matters of oil and borders". (Also Read: Iraqi parliament rejects Iraqi Kurdish referendum) The Iraqi Kurds export an average 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) through a pipeline running through Turkey to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. Tehran also upped the pressure on Sunday, saying it had blocked all flights to and from Iraqi Kurdistan at Baghdad's request. Washington and many Western states had opposed the vote, saying it would hamper the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group in which cooperation between Baghdad and the Kurds has been key. But Barzani said the Kurds' "partnership with Baghdad" since the ousted of dictator Saddam Hussein in the 2003 US-led invasion had failed and urged his people to turn out and vote. "We expect reactions from one side or another but we are convinced that whatever the risk and the price, it's better than waiting for a dark outcome," he said. "The referendum is not for defining borders or imposing a fait accompli. We want a dialogue with Baghdad to resolve the problems, and the dialogue can last one or two years," Barzani said of zones such as Kirkuk.

Iraq Kurds in historic independence vote in defiance of Baghdad

Iraq&#39;s autonomous Kurdish region will hold a historic referendum on statehood in September, its&nbsp;presidency said&nbsp;Wednesday, despite opposition to independence from Baghdad and possibly beyond.

The decision to set the date for September 25 was made at a meeting attended by Kurdish leader Massud&nbsp;Barzani and representatives of the region&#39;s political parties, the presidency said in a statement.

&quot;It will be on that day when the people of the Kurdistan region,&nbsp;as well as those living in the&nbsp;disputed areas, will cast their votes on whether they accept independence,&quot; it declared.

Often described as the world&#39;s largest stateless people after being denied their own country in the&nbsp;wake of World War I, Kurds are spread between Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

The referendum sets the stage for what may be Iraq&#39;s first major crisis after the end of the operation&nbsp;to recapture Mosul from jihadists, which temporarily united rival Iraqi federal and Kurdish forces that&nbsp;will still be deployed in close proximity in the north.

Iraqi Kurds largely support the idea of an independent state, but a yes vote would only be the start of&nbsp;a contentious project that would face major internal and external challenges.

The region is made up of three provinces that are run by an autonomous regional government and&nbsp;protected by their own security services, providing the basis for a potential state.

But there are major political and economic obstacles to Iraqi Kurdish independence.

The presidency statement said in Kurdish the referendum would include &quot;areas of Kurdistan outside the&nbsp;administration of the region&quot;, which were termed &quot;disputed areas&quot; in English.&nbsp;

This refers to swathes of northern territory that are claimed by both Kurdistan and Baghdad, including&nbsp;the key oil-rich 
province of Kirkuk.

Opposition in Baghdad to Iraqi Kurdistan becoming independent would become even greater if the region&nbsp;tried to take 
disputed territory along with it.

Iraqi Kurdistan, like the rest of the country, depends almost entirely on revenue from crude sales to&nbsp;provide government funds.

Kurdistan exports most of its oil via a pipeline leading to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, but also&nbsp;overland through Turkey by 
tanker truck.

Potential external opposition 
 
Potential opposition from Turkey could thus pose a major economic as well as political challenge to&nbsp;Iraqi Kurdish 
independence.

Turkey has a large Kurdish minority with which the government has been engaged in a multi-decade armed&nbsp;conflict, and Ankara would almost certainly fear that Iraqi Kurdish independence could fuel increased&nbsp;calls for a similar move within its territory.

Iran and Syria -- which also have large Kurdish populations -- may have similar concerns.

But due to how Iraqi Kurdistan exports oil, Turkey potentially has both an effective veto over&nbsp;independence in general, and a ready means to apply huge pressure to the fledgling state&#39;s economy if&nbsp;it did split from Iraq.

Given the poor state of relations between Ankara and Baghdad, Iraq is likely to oppose part of its&nbsp;territory being turned into a state that Turkey could easily influence.

Internally, Iraqi Kurdistan has been hit hard by low oil prices to the point that it has stopped paying&nbsp;some government employees for extended periods.

And while the concept of Kurdish independence has broad appeal, Iraqi Kurds are deeply divided&nbsp;politically, which could lead to paralysis in a new state.

The regional presidency&#39;s statement said that &quot;the political parties... agreed to resolve some of the&nbsp;outstanding political and economic issues prior to the date of the referendum&quot;.

Nechirvan Barzani, the region&#39;s prime minister and its leader Massud&#39;s nephew, had previously said the&nbsp;Kurds would address the issue of independence with Baghdad after the conclusion of the operation to&nbsp;retake Mosul from the Islamic State group.

Both Iraqi Kurdish and federal forces have taken part in the Mosul operation, which gave a fleeting&nbsp;common purpose to various rival factions in Iraq, but which is now nearing its end.

The referendum could raise tensions in the Mosul area -- which includes disputed territory -- at a time&nbsp;when both federal and Kurdish forces are deployed close to each other.

This is especially the case west of the city, where territory recaptured by pro-government paramilitary&nbsp;fighters abuts areas held by Kurdish forces, with whom they have clashed elsewhere. 
 
(AFP)

Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region will hold a historic referendum on statehood in September, its?presidency said?Wednesday

Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region will hold a historic referendum on statehood in September, its presidency said Wednesday, despite opposition to independence from Baghdad and possibly beyond. The decision to set the date for September 25 was made at a meeting attended by Kurdish leader Massud Barzani and representatives of the region's political parties, the presidency said in a statement. "It will be on that day when the people of the Kurdistan region, as well as those living in the disputed areas, will cast their votes on whether they accept independence," it declared. Often described as the world's largest stateless people after being denied their own country in the wake of World War I, Kurds are spread between Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. The referendum sets the stage for what may be Iraq's first major crisis after the end of the operation to recapture Mosul from jihadists, which temporarily united rival Iraqi federal and Kurdish forces that will still be deployed in close proximity in the north. Iraqi Kurds largely support the idea of an independent state, but a yes vote would only be the start of a contentious project that would face major internal and external challenges. The region is made up of three provinces that are run by an autonomous regional government and protected by their own security services, providing the basis for a potential state. But there are major political and economic obstacles to Iraqi Kurdish independence. The presidency statement said in Kurdish the referendum would include "areas of Kurdistan outside the administration of the region", which were termed "disputed areas" in English. This refers to swathes of northern territory that are claimed by both Kurdistan and Baghdad, including the key oil-rich province of Kirkuk. Opposition in Baghdad to Iraqi Kurdistan becoming independent would become even greater if the region tried to take disputed territory along with it. Iraqi Kurdistan, like the rest of the country, depends almost entirely on revenue from crude sales to provide government funds. Kurdistan exports most of its oil via a pipeline leading to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, but also overland through Turkey by tanker truck. Potential external opposition Potential opposition from Turkey could thus pose a major economic as well as political challenge to Iraqi Kurdish independence. Turkey has a large Kurdish minority with which the government has been engaged in a multi-decade armed conflict, and Ankara would almost certainly fear that Iraqi Kurdish independence could fuel increased calls for a similar move within its territory. Iran and Syria -- which also have large Kurdish populations -- may have similar concerns. But due to how Iraqi Kurdistan exports oil, Turkey potentially has both an effective veto over independence in general, and a ready means to apply huge pressure to the fledgling state's economy if it did split from Iraq. Given the poor state of relations between Ankara and Baghdad, Iraq is likely to oppose part of its territory being turned into a state that Turkey could easily influence. Internally, Iraqi Kurdistan has been hit hard by low oil prices to the point that it has stopped paying some government employees for extended periods. And while the concept of Kurdish independence has broad appeal, Iraqi Kurds are deeply divided politically, which could lead to paralysis in a new state. The regional presidency's statement said that "the political parties... agreed to resolve some of the outstanding political and economic issues prior to the date of the referendum". Nechirvan Barzani, the region's prime minister and its leader Massud's nephew, had previously said the Kurds would address the issue of independence with Baghdad after the conclusion of the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group. Both Iraqi Kurdish and federal forces have taken part in the Mosul operation, which gave a fleeting common purpose to various rival factions in Iraq, but which is now nearing its end. The referendum could raise tensions in the Mosul area -- which includes disputed territory -- at a time when both federal and Kurdish forces are deployed close to each other. This is especially the case west of the city, where territory recaptured by pro-government paramilitary fighters abuts areas held by Kurdish forces, with whom they have clashed elsewhere. (AFP)

Iraq's Kurds to hold historic referendum on statehood in September

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Polls open for Iraqi Kurdistan independence vote

Iraq Kurds in historic independence vote in defiance of Baghdad

Iraq's Kurds to hold historic referendum on statehood in September