Iraqi PM investigates Maysan council chief after road closure threat
Baghdad is probing the provincial leader over his warning to block access routes if the Sheeb border crossing with Iran does not reopen by Thursday.
By Isaac Medina ·
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into Mustafa Daeer Mohammedawi, the head of Maysan's provincial council, on Monday.
The probe follows Mohammedawi's warning on Sunday that the province would resort to civil disobedience if the Sheeb border crossing with Iran did not reopen by Thursday. He stated that the people of Maysan would be forced to block all roads if the gate remained shut.
Baghdad closed the Sheeb crossing, known in Iran as Chazabeh, last Wednesday. Government spokesperson Haidar al-Aboudi said the site lacked necessary technical and technological preparations. Iraqi officials also cited concerns about smuggling and a need to review security arrangements and install detection equipment.
The dispute has strained relations between Baghdad and Tehran. Iran's embassy in Baghdad rejected Iraqi allegations on Saturday, calling them false and urging authorities to avoid statements that could damage bilateral ties. Iraq has noted that drugs and currency are entering southern Iran through these crossings, referencing uncontrolled groups.
Truck drivers and other protesters gathered near the crossing, claiming their livelihoods depend on trade with Iran. Maysan is a Shiite-majority province where cross-border trade is vital to the local economy. The closure has effectively cut the region off from key commercial routes.
Legal questions have emerged regarding the prime minister's authority. Lawmaker Mohammed Jassim al-Khafaji questioned whether Zaidi can investigate an elected council chairman. He argued that only the provincial council can remove its leader through a majority vote.
The border issue coincides with renewed protests in Baghdad marking the anniversary of the 2019 Tishreen movement. Demonstrators gathered on October 25, waving flags and calling for political and economic reforms. They oppose the muhasasa system of sectarian quotas and demand accountability for the violence of 2019.
Rights organizations reported that more than 600 protesters were killed, approximately 20,000 were injured, and around 3,000 were arrested during the 2019 movement. Badr leader Hadi al-Amiri recently defended the role of pro-Iran armed groups in confronting those protests. He described the events as sedition and said the Islamic Resistance in Iraq helped preserve the political order.
