On 25 September, the Kurds of Iraq voted overwhelmingly to secede from Iraq and set up themselves up as an independent state. This referendum had been announced in July by Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Over the last two months, the Iraqi government headed by Prime Minister Haidar al Abadi, made every effort to persuade Barzani to cancel the vote and discuss federal and other issues with Baghdad.