US demands Iraq close all but two border crossings with Iran

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein disclosed on Sunday that Washington has formally demanded Baghdad reduce its border crossings with Iran to just two, leaving one in the Kurdish Region and another elsewhere as the US expands economic pressure on Tehran.

Speaking to the Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel, Hussein said Washington proposed keeping one crossing open in Iraq's Kurdish Region and another elsewhere in the country, though the two locations had yet to be identified. "Closing the border crossings could be a punishment for Iran, but it would also hurt Iraq," Hussein said. "Trade would stop, movement would stop, and that would affect us economically."

Hussein stated it remained unclear whether the proposed restrictions would apply to visitors, commercial traffic or all movement across the border. Iraq shares its longest border with Iran, with official and unofficial crossings stretching from the Kurdish Region in the north to Basra in the south. The US Central Command announced on Saturday the establishment of a new task force aimed at disrupting Iran's use of land routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials.

Economic toll and oil exports

Hussein estimated that Iraq lost about $60 billion after it was unable to export oil through the Strait of Hormuz for roughly four months at the start of the war. Before the disruption, Baghdad was exporting around 3.3 million to 3.4 million barrels a day, according to the minister. The closure of border crossings would compound these economic difficulties, he noted.

Hussein warned that military operations could resume in the region and said Baghdad opposed the use of Iraqi territory to attack neighboring countries. He stated that Iraq and Iran were jointly investigating an attack on Saudi Arabia that, according to information received by Baghdad, was launched from inside Iraq near the Iranian border. "The Americans are still asking for the crossings to be closed, and we are in talks with them," he added.

Armed factions and state control

On talks with Iraqi armed factions, Hussein said the prime minister had reached understandings with four groups on bringing their weapons under state control, while discussions continued with two others. "We hope to bring weapons under state control through dialogue and negotiations," he said. The minister did not specify which factions were involved in the negotiations.