Iran 'closes border crossings' with Iraq's Kurdistan

The crossings were closed from the Iranian side on Sunday, Rudaw news agency said, quoting the region's customs chief, Samal Abdulrahman.

One semi-official crossing remains open, the report added.

The Kurdish police commander at the Bashmakh crossing, Awet Jamal, confirmed the latest development to AP.

But Iran's Foreign Ministry said there has been no change to the status of the border.

On Sunday, Iraqi President Fuad Masum met with the Kurdish region’s President Massoud Barzani in the Kurdish city of Suleimaniyeh to discuss relations with Baghdad.

The Kurdish region voted on support for independence from Iraq in a September referendum.

Baghdad says the vote was illegal and has strongly opposed it, along with Turkey and Iran.