Iraqi PM launches probe after Maysan council sets 3-day deadline

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the Maysan Provincial Council on Monday. The decision followed a warning from council chairman Mustafa Da'ir that he would initiate civil disobedience if the government did not act quickly on the al-Shib border crossing.

Authorities closed the crossing with Iran last week. An Iraqi official told Reuters on Wednesday that the shutdown was intended to allow for upgrades to security and detection equipment. Salwan Taha Akreyi, a lawmaker for the Kurdistan Democratic Party, offered a different account. He told Kurdistan24 that Baghdad closed the site at Washington's request to limit transit to Iran and block Tehran's efforts to strengthen its militias.

Da'ir gave Baghdad a three-day deadline to resolve the issue before he would escalate his response. He warned 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 voice their opposition to the closure.

The Badr bloc, an Iraqi Shiite Islamist group, rejected the prime minister's call for an inquiry. Shafaq News reported that the group argued the closure was hurting the regional economy. The bloc also warned that a prolonged dispute risked damaging relations between Baghdad and the province. Badr urged the government to increase efforts against alleged smuggling through unofficial crossings in the Kurdistan region.

The standoff occurs as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has left Iran more dependent on land routes through Iraq and Pakistan. Tehran has strongly condemned the closure of the al-Shib crossing. It also rejected allegations that the site was used to traffic drugs and counterfeit currency.