Iraq Politics: PM Orders Probe of Maysan Council

Ordinary residents in Maysan province face continued friction at the al-Shib border crossing with Iran. The shutdown, which began last week, has disrupted local commerce and triggered a political standoff between regional leaders and the central government. Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the Maysan Provincial Council on Monday. This action followed a threat from council chairman Mustafa Da'ir, who warned of civil disobedience if Baghdad did not reopen the gate.

An Iraqi official told Reuters on Wednesday that the closure was intended to upgrade security and detection equipment at the site. However, Salwan Taha Akreyi, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party, offered a different account to Kurdistan24. He stated that Baghdad closed the crossing at Washington's request to limit transit to and from Iran. Akreyi said the move aimed to block Tehran's efforts to strengthen its militias in Iraq.

Da'ir gave Baghdad a three-day deadline before escalating his response. He threatened to cut the province off from the rest of the country. Asharq Al-Awsat reported that dozens of protesters blocked roads leading to oil companies in the region to voice opposition to the closure.

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 region's economy. The bloc warned that a prolonged dispute risked damaging relations between Baghdad and the province. It also urged the government to step up efforts against alleged smuggling through unofficial crossings in the Kurdistan region.

The standoff occurs while the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz leaves Iran more dependent on land routes through neighboring Iraq and Pakistan for its shipments. Tehran strongly condemned the closure of the al-Shib crossing. It rejected allegations that the site was used to traffic drugs and counterfeit currency.