Iraqi PM Ali Al-Zaidi Orders Audit of Maysan Council

Tensions between Baghdad and the Maysan province escalated this week over the status of a key trade route. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi issued an order on Monday to investigate the Maysan Provincial Council, according to officials and local media.

The directive came immediately after council chairman Mustafa Da'ir warned of civil disobedience. Da'ir stated that Baghdad must reopen the al-Shib border crossing with Iran. He set a three-day deadline for the government to act before he would escalate his response.

Authorities closed the crossing last week. An Iraqi official told Reuters on Wednesday that the shutdown allows for upgrades to security and detection equipment at the site. A different account emerged from Salwan Taha Akreyi, a lawmaker for the Kurdistan Democratic Party. He told Kurdistan24 that Washington requested the closure to limit transit and block Iranian efforts to strengthen militias in Iraq.

Protests accompanied the political standoff. Asharq Al-Awsat reported that dozens of demonstrators blocked roads leading to oil companies in the region. They voiced opposition to the closure of the trade route.

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 was hurting the regional economy. Badr also warned that a prolonged dispute could damage relations between Baghdad and the province. The group urged the government to increase efforts against smuggling through unofficial crossings in Kurdistan.

The dispute occurs while the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded. Iran has become more dependent on land routes through Iraq and Pakistan for shipments. Tehran condemned the closure of the al-Shib crossing and rejected allegations that the site was used to traffic drugs and counterfeit currency.