Rudaw.net

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – US Vice President Mike Pence has condemned Iran’s missile strikes on the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish parties in Koya which killed and injured several political leaders and refugees on Saturday.

“Vice President Mike Pence spoke today with Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government,” according to a White House statement issued on Monday. 

“Vice President Pence condemned Iran’s recent rocket attacks into the Kurdistan Region as an effort to threaten and destabilize its closest neighbor.”

Spoke with Prime Minister @PMBarzani of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government earlier today & condemned Iran’s recent rocket attacks into the Kurdistan region as an effort to threaten and destabilize its closest neighbor.

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) 10 septembre 2018

Pence and Barzani also discussed the Kurdish position during Iraqi government formation talks and reaffirmed the strategic partnership between the Kurds and the United States, the statement said.

“Barzani expressed gratitude for US support in the fight against ISIS and noted that more cooperation between the two countries was necessary to capitalize on shared successes against terrorism in Iraq,” it added.

Pence also congratulated Barzani on the KRG’s initiatives to promote religious freedom.

“The leaders agreed to work closely on helping Iraq’s persecuted religious communities return to their ancestral homes,” it added.

In a separate statement, Barzani said he told the Vice President the KRG values its relationship with the US and will continue to fight terrorism and protect the rights of minorities. 

1/ In a call with @VP, I reiterated KRG’s commitment in the fight against terror, and highlighted our efforts to help form an inclusive and representative government in Baghdad. I highly value the US support to the Kurdistan Region and work to further strengthen our ties.

— Nechirvan Barzani (@PMBarzani) 10 septembre 2018

2/ In the call with @VP, I also reiterated that the Kurdistan Region will remain a safe haven for all religious and ethnic groups and the centuries-old coexistence, harmony and religious freedom in our Region will last for centuries to come.

— Nechirvan Barzani (@PMBarzani) 10 septembre 2018

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) fired seven surface-to-surface missiles on Saturday, striking the Kurdistan Region refugee camps and headquarters of two Iranian-Kurdish parties, the PDKI and the KDP-I, while they were holding leadership meetings.

Seventeen people died, including several political leaders, and 46 were injured in the attack, according to figures from the health department. Nine have been admitted into hospitals in Erbil, 16 in Sulaimani, and the others are being treated in Koya. 

Among the wounded are PDKI secretary general Mustafa Mawludi and his predecessor Khalid Azizi. Both are in non-critical condition, according to the health department. 

Mohammed Qadir Zada, a member of the PDKI leadership, succumbed to his injures on Sunday.

The IRGC said on Sunday it launched the missiles after “terrorist groups associated with the world’s arrogant powers” ignored warnings from Erbil and Tehran to move their bases from the border region and continued to carry out attacks on Iranian forces.

Five Iranian Kurdish parties issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning Tehran’s missile strike and called for a general strike in Rojhelat (Eastern Kurdistan).