Iranian and Iraqi central government forces are to hold joint military exercises near their borders, Iran's state television reported on Saturday, as part of Tehran's effort to support Baghdad after the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) controversial referendum.

State television quoted a military spokesman as saying the decision to hold the war games was taken at a meeting of Iranian military commanders which also "agreed on measures to establish border security and receive Iraqi forces that are to be stationed at border posts".

Iran closed its borders and stopped flights to KRG-held airports following the independence vote on Monday.

Ahead of the vote, Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard launched a military exercise in the same region.