Al-Zaidi Probes Maysan Council After Iran Border Dispute

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi launched an investigation into the Maysan Provincial Council on Monday. The order followed a threat by council chairman Mustafa Da’ir to initiate “civil disobedience” if Baghdad maintained the closure of the al-Shib border crossing with Iran. Iraqi officials and local media reports confirm the start of the probe into the provincial body's actions.

Authorities sealed the crossing last week to upgrade security and detection systems, an Iraqi official told Reuters on Wednesday. A different explanation emerged from Salwan Taha Akreyi, a Kurdistan Democratic Party lawmaker. Speaking to Kurdistan24, Akreyi stated that Baghdad closed the site at Washington’s request. He argued the move aimed to restrict transit to Iran and block Tehran’s efforts to strengthen its militias within Iraq.

Da’ir warned that the province would isolate itself from the rest of the country if the deadline passed. He gave Baghdad three days to reverse the decision before escalating his response. The closure also sparked local unrest. Dozens of protesters blocked roads leading to regional oil companies, a move reported by Asharq Al-Awsat.

The Badr bloc, a Shiite Islamist group, rejected the prime minister’s call for an investigation. Shafaq News reported that the bloc argued the closure was harming the regional economy. They warned that prolonging the dispute risked damaging relations between Baghdad and Maysan. The group also urged the government to intensify efforts against alleged smuggling through unofficial crossings in the Kurdistan region.

Tehran strongly condemned the closure. The Iranian government rejected allegations that the al-Shib crossing had been used to traffic drugs and counterfeit currency. The dispute intensifies as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has increased Iran’s reliance on land routes through Iraq and Pakistan for shipments.