The Kurdish nation in eastern (Iranian) Kurdistan turned out in the thousands to express solidarity with southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan’s historic independence referendum. The people of eastern Kurdistan headed PDKI’s call for public demonstrations in support of the Kurdish nation’s right to self-determination.

Prior to the independence referendum, held on September 25, the Iranian regime threatened to invade southern Kurdistan and to attack PDKI’s Peshmerga Forces based in southern Kurdistan. However, tens of thousands of Kurds all over eastern Kurdistan defied the Islamist regime in Iran in a sign of solidarity with the people of southern Kurdistan.

The people of eastern Kurdistan also expressed their own desire for self-determination and to be free from Iranian occupation. The demonstrators were singing the Kurdish national anthem and shouted slogans such as “Freedom for Kurdistan” and “Long live Kurdistan.”

Another slogan was “Ghassemlou, we will continue your path” in a reference to the legendary Kurdish leader Dr. A. R. Ghassemlou.

Dr. Ghassemlou was assassinated on July 13, 1989, in Vienna by Iranian diplomats during negotiations over the terms of self-rule for eastern Kurdistan. The negotiations took place in Vienna at the initiative of the Iranian government.

The people of eastern Kurdistan also sent a clear message to the Iranian regime that if they engage in aggressive military action against southern Kurdistan, there will be consequences.

In a statement on September 15, PDKI called on the Kurdish people in eastern Kurdistan to express solidarity with southern Kurdistan in their quest for independence.

“From this date until September 25,” PDKI wrote in its statement, “the people of eastern Kurdistan should take every opportunity to express their public support for the independence referendum. In particular, on the day of the referendum, the people of eastern Kurdistan should raise the Kurdish flag in order to demonstrate to the world that the Kurdish nation in all parts of Kurdistan support one another.”

Tens of thousands of Kurds defy the Islamist regime in #Iran to support the independence referendum in #Kurdistan. #Twitterkurds #Rojhelat pic.twitter.com/zTQy8MIOIw — PDKI (@PDKIenglish) September 25, 2017

With slogans of Long live #Kurdistan and Congratulation, people in #Rojhelat took to the streets to support the independence referendum. pic.twitter.com/lBZabEnt3n — PDKI (@PDKIenglish) September 25, 2017

Kurds in Mahabad, eastern #Kurdistan raise the Kurdish flag in support of the independence referendum in Bashur. #Twitterkurds #Rojhelat pic.twitter.com/zs2pGMgjxA — PDKI (@PDKIenglish) September 25, 2017

Kurds in Mahabad sing the Kurdish national anthem & raise the Kurdish flag in support of #Kurdistan's Independece referendum. #Twitterkurds pic.twitter.com/6KXyeVHAf4 — PDKI (@PDKIenglish) September 25, 2017

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