SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region - A prominent Kurdish leader believes even if Iran and Turkey would close their borders on the Kurdistan Region in opposition to independence vote, it will last just five months because of the countries' own economic interests in the Region.
To assuage the Region's neighbors' concerns regarding the vote on self-determination, Mahmood re-iterated the referendum committee will visit Tehran and Ankara, in addition to other capitals across the globe.
"We will also tell them that we have been semi-independent for 26 years now and have only benefited them," he added.
The referendum committee headed by the President of the Kurdistan Region kicked off its first meetings the last week visiting the Belgian and Flemish capitals and the European Union headquarters in Brussels.
He said the committee is not visiting these countries to consult on whether or not to hold a referendum, but to inform them of the move.
"We are informing them that we will be holding referendum on September 25," he said. "We lived with Sunni governments for 80 years and 13 years with the Shiite government and did not reach any result to make us stay with Iraq."
Mahmood said on several occasions that Kurds should not come out of meeting with Baghdad with less than confederalism. Since the ISIS war started in 2014, the commander has been leading a front against ISIS in Kirkuk.
"The referendum will be held in areas patrolled by the Peshmerga without a problem,” he suggested. “And areas not held by the Peshmerga do not have enough Kurds in to hold a referendum."
Some of the Region's political parties have called on the referendum to be delayed, which Mahmood rejects.
"Iran should know that one barrel of oil from here goes to Iran for $25 while the [international] price of oil has exceeded $40," Mohammed Haji Mahmood, the head of the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party told Rudaw in an interview.
If Tehran and Ankara closed their borders with the Kurdistan Region in light of a vote for independence, Mahmood believes it would only be sustainable for "five months" because it would cause them economic harm.
To assuage the Region's neighbors' concerns regarding the vote on self-determination, Mahmood re-iterated the referendum committee will visit Tehran and Ankara, in addition to other capitals across the globe.
"We are aware that they have expressed opposition to the referendum and have rejected it. But we will go to them so that they do not say they are not informed," he explained.
Mahmood noted that Ankara is as firm as Tehran against the referendum. But, Ankara has more at stake with "800 companies and 30,000 workers" within the Kurdistan Region.
"We will also tell them that we have been semi-independent for 26 years now and have only benefited them," he added.
The referendum committee headed by the President of the Kurdistan Region kicked off its first meetings the last week visiting the Belgian and Flemish capitals and the European Union headquarters in Brussels.
"The Europeans, in addition to their passions towards the Kurds, they also hold the [view of] universal declarations of human rights and understand what it means when a nation declares their right to self-determination," said Mahmood, a Peshmerga veteran whose party holds a seat in the Region's parliament and has a member in the Referendum Council.
He said the committee is not visiting these countries to consult on whether or not to hold a referendum, but to inform them of the move.
"We are informing them that we will be holding referendum on September 25," he said. "We lived with Sunni governments for 80 years and 13 years with the Shiite government and did not reach any result to make us stay with Iraq."
Mahmood said on several occasions that Kurds should not come out of meeting with Baghdad with less than confederalism. Since the ISIS war started in 2014, the commander has been leading a front against ISIS in Kirkuk.
"The referendum will be held in areas patrolled by the Peshmerga without a problem,” he suggested. “And areas not held by the Peshmerga do not have enough Kurds in to hold a referendum."
Some of the Region's political parties have called on the referendum to be delayed, which Mahmood rejects.
"Agreeing to delay the referendum means you are indecisive , and that others' words will prevail. Therefore it must be held on time," he concluded.
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