Global
The Iranian Embassy in Iraq issued a statement on Saturday strongly denying the remarks made by Iraqi Prime Minister's advisor Abdul Amir Taiban regarding the closure of the Al-Shaib border crossing due to the spread of drugs and counterfeit currency. The statement emphasized that the allegations made by Taiban are false and expressed the embassy's expectation that the relevant authorities will take a clear stance on these statements, which could negatively impact bilateral relations. The advisor had accused the Iranian side of serious violations affecting Iraqi sovereignty, causing chaos at the border, and deliberately undermining the national economy through smuggling counterfeit currency and drugs. Taiban called on Iran to take firm legal measures against those he described as troublemakers, noting that Iraq faces greater border challenges with Iran compared to crossings with neighboring countries such as Jordan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. He also highlighted repeated incidents of Iraqi citizens being kidnapped near the Shalamjah and Al-Shaib crossings, stressing that the damage caused by the influx of drugs and counterfeit currency exceeds the harm inflicted by ISIS on the local market and economy.
