Iraq's prime minister, Haider al-Abadi on Saturday warned Kurds against holding the independence referendum planned for September 25.
Mr Abadi said holding the referendum was like "playing with fire", Reuters reported.
"The vote could jeopardise gains achieved by the Kurds under the self-rule regime," he reportedly added.
On Friday, the Kurdish regional parliament approved plans for the referendum.
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.