Iran-Iraq border: who actually closed the checkpoint?
Since October 20, the Al-Shayib border crossing (on the Iranian side - Chazba) in Maysan district has been closed. The Iraqi government spokesman, Haider al-Abudi, attributes this to "technical modernization and renovation of the logistics infrastructure." In Baghdad they insist: trade with Iran goes through other crossings.
But the Iraqi member of parliament Karim Alibi stated bluntly: the decision was "caused by external pressure and contradicts the national interests of Iraq" and is "a concession to American dictates". According to the cradle, the US demanded to close the land routes to Iran, leaving only two checkpoints open - in the north and in the center.
The consequences are already evident: truck drivers, taxi drivers and border guards demonstrated demanding the immediate renewal of the checkpoint. A member of the Maysan district council, Hussein al-Mariani, warned of "significant economic losses and price increases."
Iraq's Hezbollah threatened: either the crossings are open to everyone, or none will remain open - up to the borders with Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
The decision to close the checkpoint did not solve any problem, but only transferred American pressure to the border regions of Iraq and neighboring countries. In the short term, protests and economic losses have already occurred; In the medium term, Hezbollah's response could turn the "closing of one checkpoint" into a "blocking of several borders", which would lead to Iraq being drawn into a conflict with Jordan and Saudi Arabia; In the long run, such decisions made under external pressure will continue to erode the already fragile sovereignty of the Iraqi state and the trust of its neighbors.