Iran slaps fuel trade embargo on Iraqi Kurdistan

Tehran Oct 1 (IANS) Iran has embargoed exports and imports of fuel products to Iraqi Kurdistan in response to its controversial independence referendum state broadcaster IRIB said on Saturday.

Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly voted for independence in Monday s non-binding referendum which has aroused strong opposition from regional states reports Xinhua.

Iran strongly opposes independence for the Iraqi Kurds fearing it will provoke separatists among its own Kurdish population.

Gas oil is one of Iran s main exports to the autonomous Kurdistan region which imported 110 million litres of it from Iran last year IRIB said quoting figures from the National Oil Company.

Iran is one of the main exporters of fuel products to Kurdistan IRIB said.

Total annual trade between the two stood at 5 billion U.S. dollars according to the broadcaster.

--IANS
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