Shafaq News– Najaf
Iran’s Consul General in Najaf saidon Sunday that security conditions at official border crossings with Iraqremain stable and fully controlled, despite weeks of protests inside Iran,stressing that bilateral coordination is continuing at both security anddiplomatic levels.
Iran’s Consul General in Najaf,Saeed Seedin, told Shafaq News that Tehran and Baghdad are maintaining constantcommunication to ensure border stability, citing the “positive” stance ofcaretaker Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani and the ongoing visit of IraqiForeign Minister Fuad Hussein to Tehran as a sign of political coordination andregional understanding.
Seedin said Iran was closelymonitoring its western borders with Iraq, emphasizing that joint securityarrangements are in place to prevent infiltration, smuggling, or cross-borderthreats. “The recent unrest inside Iran has not affected the operation ofofficial crossings or the movement of goods and travelers.”
Iran and Iraq share a long andheavily trafficked border that includes several major official crossings vitalfor trade, religious tourism, and passenger movement. Key gateways includeMehran–Zurbatiyah in central Iraq, Parviz Khan in the Kurdistan Region, andKhosravi, Bashmaq, Haji Omeran, and Shalamcheh, which together handle millionsof travelers and large volumes of commercial freight each year.
The consul’s remarks came amidregional media reports alleging the presence of Iraqi armed faction members orsecurity personnel in Iran during the protest period. Seedin did not addressthese claims directly but said coordination between the two governments wasbased on respecting sovereignty and preventing any spillover of unrest acrossborders.
Protests in Iran began in lateDecember and were driven by economic grievances and political tensions. TheHuman Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), an Iran-based monitoring group, hasreported thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests during theunrest, figures that remain difficult to independently verify due torestrictions on internet access inside the country.
: Iran’s protests between economic crisis and political contestation
In Iraq, several provinces havewitnessed solidarity gatherings in recent days, where supporters ofTehran-aligned factions carried portraits of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khameneiand banners criticizing the United States and Israel and accusing them of encouragingunrest inside Iran.
Seedin said Baghdad’s stancereflected what he described as a commitment to non-interference and regionalstability, adding that cooperation between Iraq and Iran would continue,particularly on border security and economic exchange.