Iraq's prime minister says his government will use the "tools offered by the constitution and the law" amid rising tensions following a referendum that saw more than 90 percent of Iraqi Kurds support a split from Baghdad.
Haider al-Abadi's comments on Thursday came after calls by some in Iraq's parliament to deploy troops to the northern, Kurdish-dominated area. "We will impose our federal authority all over Iraq, including the Kurdistan region, as per the power of the constitution and law," Abadi told parliament.
"We are not making a threat. Some people have threatened us in this region and some has resorted to force to impose a status quo in these regions," he added. "We will surprise them because we talk less and our actions are louder than words."
The non-binding referendum in the three provinces of Iraqi Kurdistan and some disputed areas was held in defiance of Baghdad, which declared it illegal, and despite international objections. The central Iraqi government is applying pressure on the Kurds by implementing the imminent suspension of all foreign flights to and from the Iraqi Kurdish capital Erbil.
The move to take effect on Friday by the Baghdad government marks the first major step taken in retaliation for Monday's vote, which delivered a resounding 92.7 percent "yes" to independence.
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