Erdoğan threatens to cut off oil flow from Iraq’s Kurdish area over referendum

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on Sept. 25 Turkey could cut off the pipeline that carries oil from northern Iraq to the outside world, intensifying pressure on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over its independence referendum.

Voting began on Sept. 25 despite strong opposition from Iraq’s central government and neighboring Turkey and Iran - both with significant Kurdish populations - as well as Western warnings.