Iranian forces have launched war games in an area near the border with Iraq's Kurdistan region, Iran's state media reported on Sunday, a day before an independence referendum is to be held in the region.

State broadcaster IRIB said the exercises, part of annual events held in Iran to mark the beginning of the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, are centred in the Oshnavieh border region.

The war games will include artillery, armoured and airborne units, IRIB reported.

Clashes with Iranian Kurdish militant groups based in Iraq are fairly common in the border area.

Iran has joined Turkey and the Iraqi government in voicing opposition to the referendum.