United States requests Iraq close 17 border crossings with Iran

A member of the Anbar Iraq coalition, Ahmed Abdullah al-Dulaimi, has claimed that the United States submitted a request to the Iraqi government to close 17 border crossings between Iraq and Iran. These crossings are currently active for commercial trade.

Al-Dulaimi stated that this request is part of a U.S. plan to exert intense economic pressure on Iran by utilizing Iraq. He noted that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Failak al-Zaydi has not voiced any objection to the request. However, al-Dulaimi warned that such a decision could harm Iraqi interests, as the domestic market relies heavily on goods imported from Iran.

The move is described as an attempt to tighten the blockade against Tehran and involve Iraq in regional disputes. This follows the recent closure of the Al-Shayeb (Chazzabeh) border crossing.