Iraq's foreign minister says US asked Iraq to close all but two Iran crossings

Iraq's foreign minister has said that the United States asked Iraq to close all of its border crossings with Iran except two. Reuters and Anadolu Agency both reported the statement.

Reuters identified the minister as Fuad Hussein. According to Reuters, Hussein made the remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera.

According to Reuters, Hussein said the request came specifically from the US Treasury. Reuters also reported that, according to Hussein, the request is part of Washington's policy of increasing economic pressure on Tehran.

Limits of the reporting

Reuters and Anadolu are separate news agencies. However, both attribute the account to the same statement by one official. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi contain no independent confirmation from the US side. Anadolu Agency's report, as reviewed, consists of a headline only. It does not say how the agency obtained the statement.

The reports do not identify which two crossings would remain open. They do not describe a deadline or timeline for the request. They do not say when or how the request was delivered to Iraq. The reports also do not include the full Al Jazeera interview or any direct quotes from Hussein.

What each side says

• Iraq's foreign minister: He said the United States asked Iraq to close all border crossings with Iran except two, according to Reuters and Anadolu Agency. According to Reuters, he said the request came from the US Treasury and is part of Washington's policy of increasing economic pressure on Tehran.
• United States: The reports do not include any confirmation or comment from the US Treasury or any other US government body.
• Iran: The reports do not include a response from the Iranian government.
• Iraq's next steps: The reports do not say whether Iraq intends to comply with the request.

Analysis

The account currently rests on a single official's statement, as relayed by two news agencies. Without comment from Washington or Tehran, the scope and status of the request remain unclear. If confirmed, such a measure could affect cross-border trade and travel between Iraq and Iran, and would place Baghdad between two important partners. Several paths are possible: Iraq could comply fully or partly, negotiate the terms, or decline. US or Iranian statements, details on which crossings are involved, and any timeline would help clarify the situation. None of these outcomes can be assessed from the reports reviewed so far.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.

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