Prime minister investigates Maysan after border standoff
Baghdad launched a probe into the provincial council on Monday following a three-day deadline set by local leaders over the al-Shib crossing shutdown.
By Camila Wisniewski ·
Protesters in Maysan province blocked roads leading to oil facilities last week, a direct response to the shutdown of the al-Shib border crossing with Iran. The disruption halted trade flows and frustrated local business owners who rely on the land route for daily commerce.
Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the Maysan Provincial Council on Monday. The probe targets the actions of council chairman Mustafa Da’ir, who warned of civil disobedience if Baghdad kept the crossing closed. Da’ir gave the central government a three-day deadline before escalating the standoff and severing the province's ties with the rest of the country.
The closure began last week. An Iraqi official told Reuters that authorities shut the crossing to upgrade security and detection equipment. However, Salwan Taha Akreyi, a lawmaker for the Kurdistan Democratic Party, told Kurdistan24 that the shutdown was requested by Washington. He argued that the move aims to restrict transit to Iran and limit Tehran's ability to strengthen its militias inside Iraq.
The dispute has drawn political opposition. The Badr bloc, a Shiite Islamist group, reportedly rejected the prime minister's call for an inquiry. The bloc argued that the closure harms the regional economy and warned that prolonging the dispute could damage relations between Baghdad and Maysan. They also urged the government to intensify efforts to combat smuggling through unofficial crossings in the Kurdistan region.
The timing of the shutdown coincides with increased Iranian reliance on land routes due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has strongly condemned the closure. The Iranian government rejected allegations that the al-Shib crossing had been used to traffic drugs and counterfeit currency.
The investigation marks the first formal step by Baghdad to resolve the conflict. Da’ir's threat to isolate the province adds pressure on the central government to clarify the timeline for reopening the border.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
