Iraqi Foreign Minister: Washington Has Requested Closure of Border Crossings with Iran

Baghdad: According to Raaz News | Iraq’s foreign minister acknowledged that Washington had requested the closure of the country’s border crossings with Iran in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, referring to the increased possibility of a renewed war in the region, said that the suspension of oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz had cost Iraq approximately $60 billion.

He added that Iraq had resumed oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz following understandings reached with Washington and Tehran. According to the Iraqi foreign minister, the United States has formally asked Baghdad to close all its border crossings with Iran, except for two.

Fuad Hussein also commented on Baghdad’s relations with Tehran, saying that Iraq had informed Iran that it welcomed friendship and an alliance with the country but opposed Tehran’s interference in its internal affairs.

He stated that Iraq had information indicating that external parties were using Iraqi territory to carry out attacks against neighboring countries.

The Iraqi foreign minister further said that Baghdad was seeking to resolve its differences with Saudi Arabia through frank dialogue. He stressed that the issue of placing armed groups’ weapons under state control must be resolved through dialogue rather than armed confrontation.

In this regard, he said that Iraq’s prime minister had reached understandings with four groups on the issue of weapons. According to him, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada had agreed to regulate their weapons, while negotiations with Harakat al-Nujaba and Kata'ib Hezbollah were still ongoing. Baghdad is also holding talks with Iran regarding weapons held by Iraqi armed groups.

In another part of the interview, Fuad Hussein referred to ISIS activities along the Iraq-Syria border, stating that groups affiliated with ISIS were stationed on the Syrian side of the border with Iraq. In this context, a four-party committee comprising Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Türkiye has been established to combat ISIS in Syria.

He went on to report that Iraqi forces were making efforts and conducting military operations along the country’s shared border with Syria to prevent ISIS members from infiltrating Iraqi territory and to combat drug smuggling.