Iraq closes border crossing with Iran over financial disagreement

Iraq decided to close the Al-Shib border crossing with Iran for 10 days and forming an investigation committee after disagreements erupted over the crossing’s revenues.

The decision was made by the city council of southern Iraqi province of Maysan

Mohamed Shoei, a member of Maysan’s city council, told Anadolu Agency, “The City Council held an official meeting, attended by the governor, to address the crisis over the revenues of Al-Shib border crossing.”

He added that the majority of members voted in favour of closing the border crossing to trade-related transit for 10 days.

“The province does not receive any of the border crossing’s revenues despite the big damage made to roads inside the province due to the traveling of trucks loaded with goods,” he said.

Tribal entities in the province receive part of the revenues; the rest goes to the federal Iraqi government, the municipal official added.

Today’s decision serves as a warning to the federal government, the border crossing’s management and the tribes for a mid-course correction and allocating the crossing’s revenues to the province in line with the law.

He pointed out that an investigative committee was formed to find out more details about operations at the crossings.

In addition to Al-Shib, Iraq and Iran are linked via several border crossings, such as Al-Salama and Zurbatiyah in the province of Wasit, and Al-Munthereya in the province of Diyala, located to the northeast of the capital Baghdad.

Members of the Iraqi parliament’s integrity committee say that financial and administrative corruption possibly mars Iraqi land and maritime crossings.