Al-Zaidi orders financial review of Maysan council after border standoff

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the Maysan Provincial Council on Monday. This decision followed warnings from the council’s chairman, Mustafa Da’ir, who threatened "civil disobedience" if the al-Shib border crossing with Iran did not reopen.

Da’ir issued a three-day deadline before escalating his response. He stated that he would cut the province off from the rest of the country. Asharq Al-Awsat reported that dozens of protesters blocked roads leading to regional oil companies to oppose the closure.

Authorities shut the crossing last week. An Iraqi official told Reuters on Wednesday that the closure allows for upgrades to security and detection equipment. Salwan Taha Akreyi, a Kurdistan Democratic Party lawmaker, offered a different explanation to Kurdistan24. He said Baghdad closed the site at Washington's request to limit transit to and from Iran and block Tehran’s efforts to strengthen its militias.

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 region's economy. Badr warned that a prolonged dispute could damage relations between Baghdad and the province. The group also urged the government to target 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 Iraq and Pakistan. Tehran condemned the closure of the al-Shib crossing and rejected allegations that it was used to traffic drugs and counterfeit currency.