Saturday, 24 October 2026

At the Iranian border, al-Zaidi said Friday that closing crossings would hurt both countries because of the volume of Iranian exports entering Iraq, after his government closed Sheeb in Maysan on 21 October to passengers, vehicles and commercial trucks. An adviser to the prime minister separately accused Iran of severe border violations and smuggling. Al-Zaidi said Iraq would not be a party to any war and would continue working to end the crisis. He said both Iran and the United States needed Iraq’s role and that Baghdad supported de-escalation. On air travel, he announced that Najaf International Airport had reopened to flights from Iran, with Iraqi Airways operating its services. Iraq had secured a US exemption allowing Iranian airlines other than Mahan Air up to 40 flights a day, following Najaf’s suspension of all flights to and from Iran on 25 September after US Treasury sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines.

The PMF Authority denied on Friday that First Lieutenant Ahmed Awwad Kazim al-Lami of its 28th Brigade had died in Yemen. It said he died in a traffic accident in Basra while returning from official duty inside Iraq. His death had underpinned Kan’s unverified allegation of PMF military participation in Yemen, relayed by Erem News. Al-Nujaba TV (Nujaba — official) relayed the Authority’s statement, while 964media reported receiving it from the Authority. The Authority’s statement disputed this officer’s place and circumstances of death, rather than denying PMF military participation in Yemen generally.

Al-Kornet al-Kata'ibi (KSS — affiliated) meanwhile warned that attempts to disarm resistance factions would endanger American forces. It declared fighters fully ready, linking its warning to a hypothetical US ground invasion of Iran from Iraqi territory. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi reported weapons-control understandings with five factions, saying work was complete with three and continuing with two. He told Al-Iraqiya television that state weapons control was irreversible and set 30 June 2027 as the completion deadline. He also argued that the departure of foreign troops removed the justification for weapons outside state authority. On Turkey, he announced understandings for its forces to withdraw and hand Bashiqa base to the Iraqi army. During his interview, Sabereen News (KH — affiliated) alleged at least four foreign-force sorties were penetrating Iraqi airspace. Al-Zaidi’s account of three completed negotiating files does not establish that weapons were handed over.

Separately, Sabereen alleged that UCC and Rabban al-Safina had received an exclusive contract to transport 15 million barrels of oil through Syria. It put the alleged price discount at $37 per barrel and transport fees at $10 per barrel. The channel alleged ties between UCC and Tom Barrack, and between Rabban al-Safina and the father of Electricity Minister Saadi Wahib. It asserted that an urgent, secret Council of Ministers letter and a signed contract existed. Sabereen then questioned whether the minister, his father and the prime minister were abiding by their oath. On Al-Nujaba TV, programme guest Sheikh Muntazar al-Mansuri separately alleged that everyone with money and power, including parties and tribes, engaged in oil smuggling.

Elsewhere in the south, Al-Janoub TV (Harakat al-Jihad wal-Bina — official) described economic paralysis and widespread discontent on Saturday following Baghdad’s closure of crossings with Iran. Its coverage had moved from Friday’s warnings of possible trade paralysis to describing the damage as already under way. FAA (Ansar Allah al-Awfiya — official) carried parliamentary Finance Committee member Ghufran Iqbal al-Shammari’s call to explain Shib’s closure in Maysan and address its economic and humanitarian effects. Her intervention followed residents’ demonstrations on Thursday against the government’s closure of Shib.