Iraqi Foreign Minister Says US Treasury Asked Iraq to Close All but Two Border Crossings With Iran
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told Al Jazeera in an interview on the evening of November 7 that the U.S. Treasury has asked Iraq to close all of its border crossings with Iran except for two, one of the exceptions being in the Kurdistan region. Reuters reported his remarks on November 8.
Hussein said there are many official and unofficial crossings with Iran, that closing all of them would be difficult and would affect Iraq's economy, and that the Americans are still demanding the closures while the two sides remain in discussions.
Last month Iraq closed the busy Sheeb border crossing with Iran to review security and install detection equipment to stop smuggling. The U.S. request forms part of Washington's campaign of increased economic pressure on Tehran; on November 7, U.S. Central Command announced a new task force set up specifically to block Iran's land and Caspian Sea weapons routes.
Related:
CENTCOM Creates Task Force Iron Gate to Block Iran's Land and Caspian Weapons Routes
(Source: Reuters)
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：伊拉克副总理兼外交部长福阿德·侯赛因（资料图）。美国国务院，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (file photo). U.S. Department of State, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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