Iraq Prime Minister Orders Probe as Maysan Threatens Road Blockade Over Closed Iran Crossing
Protests in Baghdad mark the seventh anniversary of the Tishreen movement while trade disputes escalate in the southeast.
By Riya Zhao ·
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into Mustafa Daeer Mohammedawi, the head of Maysan's provincial council, on Monday. The directive follows a warning issued by Mohammedawi on Sunday that the province would resort to civil disobedience if the Sheeb border crossing with Iran did not reopen by Thursday.
The Sheeb crossing, known as Chazabeh in Iran, serves as a major commercial link between the two nations. Baghdad shut the site down last Wednesday, citing a need for better technical and logistical infrastructure. Government spokesperson Haidar al-Aboudi stated that the location lacked necessary technological preparations. An Iraqi border official told Reuters that the pause allows authorities to review security arrangements and install detection equipment to prevent the smuggling of prohibited materials.
Tensions have risen between the two countries over the closure. Abdul Amir Hassan Ali al-Taiban, an adviser to the prime minister, claimed drugs and currency were entering southern Iraq via Iranian crossings. Iraq also referenced uncontrolled groups, a term often used for Iranian-backed militias. Iran's embassy in Baghdad rejected these claims on Saturday, calling them false and urging Iraqi officials to manage statements that affect bilateral relations.
Maysan, a Shiite-majority province with a commercial hub in Amarah, relies heavily on cross-border trade. Protesters, including truck drivers dependent on Iran business, gathered near the closed gate. Lawmaker Mohammed Jassim al-Khafaji challenged Zaidi's authority, arguing that only a majority vote of the provincial council can remove an elected chairman.
In Baghdad, demonstrators took to the streets on October 25 to mark the anniversary of the 2019 Tishreen movement. Shafaq News reported that participants waved Iraqi flags and demanded political and economic reforms. The protests were driven by young Shiite Iraqis frustrated by corruption, unemployment, and the muhasasa system of sectarian quotas.
Rights organizations cited by Rudaw stated that more than 600 protesters were killed during the original movement, with about 20,000 injured and 3,000 arrested. The Badr Organization, an Iranian-backed group, was accused of suppressing the protests. Leader Hadi al-Amiri, a senior figure in the Coordination Framework, defended those groups in late August, labeling the protests sedition and crediting the Islamic Resistance for preserving political order.
Activist Muntadhar al-Zaidi called for justice over the killings and criticized the concentration of political power. The National House party, linked to the Tishreen movement, urged peaceful demonstrations and demanded the end of corruption and the placement of weapons under state control.
