BAGHDAD: Kurdish media reported on Sunday the three official border crossings between Iraq’s Kurdish region and Iran have been closed.
Rudaw news agency, quoting the region’s Customs chief Samal Abdulrahman said the three crossings were closed from the Iranian side on Sunday, adding that one semi-official crossing remains open. Iran’s Foreign Ministry, however, said there has been no change to the status of the border.
Earlier, Iran’s Tasnim news agency also reported that Iran had closed its border gates with northern Iraq in response to an independence referendum in Iraq’s Kurdish region last month.
Iran last month halted flights to and from Kurdish regions in northern Iraq after the independence referendum by the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
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Iraqi Kurds say border crossings with Iran closed
Iraqi Kurds say border crossings with Iran closed
Italy summons Israeli ambassador over Ramallah gun threat
- Italian foreign ministry says two of its police officers were threatened at gunpoint
ROME: The Italian government said Monday it was summoning the Israeli ambassador to Rome after two of its police officers were threatened at gunpoint near Ramallah.
The two carabinieri officers, stationed at Italy’s consulate general in Jerusalem, “were stopped in Palestinian territory, near Ramallah, probably by a ‘settler’ under the threat of an automatic rifle,” a foreign ministry statement said.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani requested the ambassador be summoned “to seek clarification” and confirm Italy’s “strong protest” over Sunday’s incident, the ministry said.
Italy’s embassy in Tel Aviv had lodged a formal protest over the incident, the ministry added.
The two carabinieri officers, stationed at Italy’s consulate general in Jerusalem, “were stopped in Palestinian territory, near Ramallah, probably by a ‘settler’ under the threat of an automatic rifle,” a foreign ministry statement said.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani requested the ambassador be summoned “to seek clarification” and confirm Italy’s “strong protest” over Sunday’s incident, the ministry said.
Italy’s embassy in Tel Aviv had lodged a formal protest over the incident, the ministry added.
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