US asks Iraq to close all but two border crossings with Iran

The US Treasury has formally asked Iraq to close all but two of its border crossings with Iran as Washington seeks to increase economic pressure on Tehran, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told Al Jazeera in an interview aired on Sunday, according to Anadolu Agency.

Hussein said the United States proposed keeping one crossing open in Iraq’s Kurdish Region and another elsewhere in the country. The two crossings have not yet been 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.”

“The Americans are still asking for the crossings to be closed, and we are in talks with them,” he added.

Hussein said it was not yet clear 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 extending from the Kurdish Region in the north to Basra in the south.

On Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the creation of a task force aimed at disrupting Iran’s use of land routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials, expanding Washington’s pressure on Tehran.

Hussein estimates Iraq’s oil export losses at $60 billion

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 exports were disrupted, Iraq was shipping around 3.3 million to 3.4 million barrels a day, he said.

He also warned that military operations could resume in the region and said Baghdad opposed the use of Iraqi territory to attack neighbouring countries.

Iraq and Iran are jointly investigating an attack on Saudi Arabia which, according to information Baghdad received, was launched from inside Iraq near the Iranian border, Hussein said.

Baghdad discusses bringing armed groups under 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 were continuing with two others.

“We hope to bring weapons under state control through dialogue and negotiations,” he said.