Maysan Leader Threatens to Blockade Province Unless Iran Border Reopens
Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the provincial council after chairman Mustafa Da'ir issued a three-day deadline to resolve the standoff over the al-Shib crossing.
By Riya Zhao ·
A standoff between Baghdad and Maysan province has escalated into a financial probe after the local council chairman threatened to sever the region from the rest of Iraq. Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi ordered the investigation on Monday. The move follows a dispute over the closure of the al-Shib border crossing with Iran.
Mustafa Da'ir, chairman of the Maysan Provincial Council, warned of civil disobedience if the government did not act. He gave authorities a three-day deadline to reopen the checkpoint. Da'ir stated that he would cut the province off from the rest of the country if Baghdad failed to meet the deadline. He described the potential unrest as a direct response to the economic strain caused by the shutdown.
The border crossing shut down last week. An Iraqi official told Reuters on Wednesday that the closure allows for upgrades to security and detection equipment. However, Salwan Taha Akreyi, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party, offered a different account. He told Kurdistan24 that Washington requested the closure to limit transit to and from Iran. Akreyi argued that the move aims to block Tehran's efforts to strengthen its militias inside Iraq.
Protests accompanied the political dispute. Asharq Al-Awsat reported that dozens of demonstrators blocked roads leading to oil companies in the region. These actions voiced opposition to the closure. Meanwhile, the Badr bloc, an Iraqi Shiite Islamist group, reportedly rejected the prime minister's call for an investigation. Shafaq News reported that the group argued the closure was hurting the regional economy. They warned that a prolonged dispute risked damaging relations between Baghdad and the province. Badr also urged the government to step up efforts against alleged smuggling through unofficial crossings in the Kurdistan region.
The conflict occurs while the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz leaves Iran more dependent on land routes through neighboring Iraq and Pakistan for shipments. Tehran has strongly condemned the closure of the al-Shib crossing. The Iranian government also rejected allegations that the site was used to traffic drugs and counterfeit currency.
