Iran suspends Iraqi Kurdistan flights ahead of referendum

Iran halted flights to airports in Iraqi Kurdistan at the request of the central government in Baghdad a day before a Kurdish independence referendum, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. 

The agency quoted Kayvan Khosravi, spokesman for Iran's top security body, as saying on Sunday that Iran was also closing its airspace to flights originating in Iraqi Kurdistan. The announcement came as Iran also started military exercises at the Kurdish border. 

The air embargo is the first concrete retaliatory measure against Monday's referendum which is rejected by the government in Baghdad and by Iraq's powerful neighbours - Iran and Turkey - as well as western powers, including the US.

UCJ, UNILORIN.