policy
The government spokesperson, Haider Al-Aboudi, confirmed that the closure of the Al-Shaib border crossing was due to its lack of technical, developmental, and operational readiness. He pointed out that several other border crossings continue to operate smoothly with active trade exchanges with Iran. Al-Aboudi denied any presence or headquarters of the Houthi group within Iraqi territory, emphasizing that Iraq will not allow its lands to be used as a base to threaten neighboring countries. He added that the government refuses to host any armed groups involved in external conflicts. Regarding regional security issues, he highlighted high-level coordination with Turkey to resolve the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) issue and remove its elements from Iraq, as well as cooperation with Iran through a supreme committee to address the presence of Iranian Kurdish militants in the country.
