A classified document obtained by Avatoday shows Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has allocated 20 million Dollars for destabilizing Iraqi Kurdistan Region during the independence referendum held in September 2016.
The plan under the title "practical program against tensional policies of (Iraqi) Kurdistan Region (KRG)'' which started on April 26, 2017, mainly emphasized on Iran’s alliance with some Kurdish parties to stand against the referendum.
The plans of the program descried as "receiving, evaluating and organizing obtained information,” against the Kurdistan Democratic Party and his leader Masoud Barzani, who was also leading the referendum.
Tehran’s plan was to “publish the information emphasizing on totalitarianism of Barzani, aiming to persuade the allies to exaggerate the corruption, affiliation of Barzani to Turkey and Israel, and plotting against Kurdistan Workers Party (pkk),” aiming at increasing local tensions.
According to the document, the official media of Islamic Republic must blame Barzani for all the crisis in KRG as well as tensions between Erbil and Baghdad. The document says that locals (inside KRG) must be convinced to take practical steps to oppose Barzani's policies.
The potential and capacity of PKK must be considered ''to weaken the Israeli separation plan," read the document, adding that any new idea which is based on opposing the referendum is allowed to be allocated up to $300,000.
KRG held an independence referendum on September 25, 2017 and 93 percent of people voted in favor of independence.
One month after the referendum, the Islamic Republic shut down all the borders with KRG, and their allies in Baghdad put embargo on two main airports of KRG.
IRGC forces also backed Shia militia known as Hashd al-Shaabi to capture the disputed areas including the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.
