Ahmed Barzani

Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani says Turkey is unlikely to oppose the declaration of an independent Kurdish state, while praising the bilateral ties that Arbil and Ankara have forged over the past decade

The United States came out Thursday against a call by Iraq's Kurdish leader for an independence referendum, saying the country could only repel Islamic State radicals by staying united.
      
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Masoud Barzani earlier told parliament to make preparations for a "referendum on the right of self-determination."