Iraqi PM orders investigation into provincial council threats over closed Iran border crossing

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has directed an investigation into the Maysan Provincial Council following Chairman Mustafa Da’ir's threat of "civil disobedience" should Baghdad continue to keep the al-Shib border crossing with Iran closed, according to officials and media reports. The crossing was sealed last week amid security upgrades, but Kurdistan Democratic Party member Salwan Taha Akreyi claimed the closure was at Washington's urging to curb Iran's influence and stop Tehran from empowering its militias in Iraq.

Da’ir vowed unrest if Baghdad did not act within three days, causing road blockades and disruptions for oil companies, as reported by Asharq Al-Awsat. The Iraqi Shiite Islamist Badr bloc dismissed the prime minister's call for an inquiry, stating the closure was damaging the region's economy and warned that it could strain Baghdad's ties with the province.

They urged the government to step up efforts against smuggling through unofficial routes in the Kurdistan region. The closure comes amid heightened tension over the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran has become more dependent on land routes through Iraq and Pakistan for its trade. Tehran has vehemently denied allegations that the al-Shib crossing was used for drug and currency trafficking.