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Erdogan, Rouhani stand together against Iraqi Kurdish state

The Turkish president's Iran visit opened with a joint news conference in which he and Iran's president repeated Turkey’s demands that the Kurdistan Regional Government annul the results of the referendum on Iraqi Kurdish independence.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends opening ceremony of Recep Tayyip Erdogan Imam Hatip School in Istanbul, Turkey, September 29, 2017. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC19182BAB40

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan kicked off a high-profile visit to Iran today as both countries vowed to prevent Iraq’s Kurds from splitting away to form their own independent state and to boost economic ties.

Erdogan was flanked by his top lieutenants including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and his son-in-law, Energy Minister Berat Albayrak.

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