Maysan standoff: Baghdad opens inquiry after Iran gate shuts

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi issued a formal order on Monday to investigate the Maysan Provincial Council. The directive followed a three-day ultimatum set by council chairman Mustafa Da’ir, who warned of "civil disobedience" if the al-Shib border crossing with Iran remained closed. The standoff has escalated tensions between the central government in Baghdad and the northeastern province.

The al-Shib checkpoint halted traffic last week. An Iraqi official told Reuters that authorities needed the time to install upgraded security and detection systems. Salwan Taha Akreyi, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party, offered a different account. Speaking to Kurdistan24, he stated that Washington requested the shutdown to limit transit volumes and hinder Tehran’s ability to supply its militias within Iraq.

Da’ir reacted to the closure by threatening to sever the province’s economic ties with the rest of the country. As the deadline approached, Asharq Al-Awsat reported that dozens of demonstrators blocked roads leading to regional oil companies. The disruption aimed to pressure Baghdad by targeting the sector that drives local revenue.

The Badr bloc, a prominent Shiite Islamist group, pushed back against the prime minister’s investigation. Shafaq News reported that the bloc argued the closure was hurting the regional economy. They warned that extending the dispute could strain relations between Baghdad and Maysan. The group also urged the government to focus on combating smuggling through unofficial routes in the Kurdistan region.

The closure coincides with heightened pressure on Iran’s trade networks. A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has forced Tehran to rely more heavily on land corridors through Iraq and Pakistan. Iranian officials have condemned the al-Shib shutdown, rejecting claims that the crossing served as a primary route for drugs and counterfeit currency.

The investigation ordered by Al-Zaidi begins immediately. The council faces scrutiny over its handling of the border dispute and its use of the three-day deadline to escalate the standoff.