London: Iraqi Kurdish president Massoud Barzani is to resign, reports say, as the fallout from the region's independence referendum continues, reports BBC. Kurds voted overwhelmingly last month for Kurdistan to secede but Iraq's central government insists the referendum was illegal. Iraq's army then launched an assault on the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk, seizing the area's rich oil fields.Barzani's current term had been due to end in four days. The region's deputy parliamentary speaker, Jaafar Imniki, told Kurdish news channels a letter by Barzani would be read out in parliament on Sunday. Kurdish media said it will be a letter of resignation. Reuters news agency said Barzani's letter outlines how the president's powers should now be divided among government institutions.