Baghdad, Iraq, November 9 (ANI): The U.S. Department of the Treasury has asked the Iraqi government to close almost all of its commercial border crossings with Iran, leaving only two operational, as Washington intensifies its economic campaign to isolate Tehran, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein revealed in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Speaking to the network, Hussein disclosed that the U.S. Treasury had requested Baghdad to restrict bilateral overland trade and passenger traffic to just two transit points, including one crossing in the autonomous Kurdistan region.
Hussein also discussed the significant challenges Iraq faces in managing its critical energy transit routes amid escalating military tensions.
According to the Iraqi foreign minister, backchannel agreements previously reached with Washington and Tehran had allowed Iraq to continue transporting its crude oil through the strategic Strait of Hormuz using a designated southern maritime corridor, Al Jazeera reported.
However, a tight blockade imposed on the vital waterway has dealt a severe economic blow to Iraq’s oil-dependent economy.
Hussein said continued disruptions and maritime blockades in the Strait of Hormuz had caused staggering financial losses of $60 billion for Iraq, Al Jazeera reported.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has issued a warning to the United States, telling the White House to either accept Tehran’s proposal to end hostilities on all fronts or face severe military retaliation that would “rain down hell.”
Araghchi’s diplomatic ultimatum and combative rhetoric followed the conclusion of the U.S. midterm elections, which he said had disrupted the pace of regional negotiations.
Taking to the social media platform X on Sunday, the Iranian foreign minister declared that the decision was firmly in Washington’s hands, with a choice between negotiated de-escalation and catastrophic regional warfare.
“American voters have made their choice. Time for the White House to make its own,” Araghchi posted.
Issuing a direct warning to the Trump administration, Araghchi added, “Our two-day proposal stands: Meet the requirements, including an end to war on all fronts, and you will see results. Or choose war, and see our alert and battle-hardened warriors rain down hell.”
Soon afterward, speaking to reporters in the Iranian capital, Araghchi disclosed that diplomatic efforts to broker a cessation of hostilities had reached an impasse, directly linking the standstill to political volatility in Washington, according to Al Jazeera.
“The main reason is the U.S. election results, which have obviously come as a shock to everyone,” Araghchi was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
“It will take some time for things to settle down and for the atmosphere to become conducive to the mediators resuming their visits. We have to wait,” Araghchi said. (ANI)
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