Maysan protesters block oilfield road over Iran border closure

Maysan protesters block oilfield road over Iran border closure
2026-10-25T06:55:36+00:00

Shafaq News- Maysan

Dozens of protesters blocked the Bazargan road, a major route used by oil companies in Iraq’s southern Maysan province, on Sunday to demand that Baghdad reopen the Al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran.

Demonstrators chanted slogans against the closure as security forces deployed heavily around the protest site, a Shafaq News correspondent said.

Fruit and vegetable prices have risen sharply in local markets since the decision, prompting residents to demand the resumption of cross-border trade on social media.

Iraq ordered Al-Sheeb closed on Tuesday until further notice, citing unspecified technical issues. Tehran criticized the move, accusing Baghdad of failing to provide advance notice as required under a bilateral agreement.

On Saturday, Iran’s embassy in Iraq also rejected as ‘false allegations’ claims by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi’s adviser Abdul Amir Taiban that the crossing had been closed over drug trafficking and counterfeit currency.

Read more: Can Iraq’s economy weather a wider regional shock? Experts differ

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