Iraq says Iran shelling of Kurdish soil damages ties

BAGHDAD, — Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari demanded on Wednesday that Iran should stop shelling of the Kurdish villages, saying it damages ties between the neighbouring countries.

“We again demand that the Iranian government stop its continuing shelling because this is not constructive for Iraq-Iranian relations and damages ties,” he told reporters.

“The shelling has continued (off-and-on) for five years, but this time the duration has been longer than previous instances,” he added.

He said shelling was “random” and damaged farmland in the rural region.