Shafaq News/ Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the leaders of the Kurdistan region condemned Sunday's bomb attack that rocked a busy tourist destination in Istanbul.

"I strongly condemn the cowardly attack in Istanbul today," Prime Minister Masrour Barzani tweeted, "my thoughts are with the government and people of Turkey, and the victims and their families."

"I condemn today’s apparent terrorist attack in Istanbul. My thoughts and prayers are with victims’ families and loved ones, and I wish a quick recovery to the injured," Kurdistan's President Nechirvan Barzani said in a tweet.

A statement by Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the attack that targeted Istanbul's populous avenue of Istiklal as "terrorist".

"We share the Turkish Republic's government and people, particularly the victims' families, the pain of grief at these moments and offer our sincere condolences and pure solace to them," it added.

An explosion ripped through the heart of Istanbul has left at least six people dead and dozens others wounded, Turkish officeholders said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the explosion in Istanbul’s Istiklal street was caused by a “bomb attack”, adding that six people died in the incident.

Speaking before his departure to the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Indonesia on Sunday, Erdogan said the explosion was a "treacherous attack" and its perpetrators would be punished.

Another 53 were wounded, according to information Erdogan received from the Istanbul governor.