Iraqi PM Targets Maysan Council Following Three Day Border Deadline

Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an audit of the Maysan Provincial Council on Monday. The decision followed a threat from Council Chairman Mustafa Da'ir to stage acts of civil disobedience if the al-Shib border crossing with Iran did not reopen.

Authorities shut the crossing the week before. An Iraqi official told Reuters on Wednesday that the closure allows for upgrades to security and detection equipment at the site. Salwan Taha Akreyi, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party, offered a different view. He told Kurdistan24 that Washington requested the shutdown to limit transit to Iran and block Tehran from strengthening its militias in Iraq.

Da'ir reacted by warning he would cut the province off from the rest of the country. He set a three-day deadline for Baghdad to act before he escalated his response. Asharq Al-Awsat reported that dozens of protesters blocked roads leading to regional oil companies to oppose the closure.

The Badr bloc, a Shiite Islamist group, rejected the prime minister’s call for an investigation. Shafaq News reported that the group argued the closure hurts the local economy. Badr also warned that a long dispute could damage relations between Baghdad and the province. The bloc urged the government to fight alleged smuggling through unofficial crossings in the Kurdistan region.

The standoff occurs while the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. Iran now relies more on land routes through Iraq and Pakistan for its shipments. Tehran condemned the al-Shib closure and rejected claims that the site traffics drugs and counterfeit currency.

The investigation into the Maysan Council is currently underway as officials review the council's actions during the standoff.