Ibrahim Al-Sakini, a member of the State of Law Coalition, confirmed the existence of American movements aimed at reducing trade exchanges between Iraq and Iran, and preventing the import of Iranian agricultural products and foodstuffs.
Al-Sakini stated in a remark followed by the News Video Agency that "attempts to close some border crossings with Iran will lead to a disruption in the flow of goods, commodities, and foodstuffs, which will be reflected in local markets through rising prices of vegetables and fruits."
He added that "the United States is trying to cut commercial relations and prevent the arrival of imported food products from Iran, despite Iraq's reliance on importing large quantities of Iranian agricultural products, which are characterized by their reasonable prices."
He pointed out that some parties accuse Iran of attempting to obstruct the Iraqi agricultural sector in order to market its own products, noting that the local markets' need for additional quantities of agricultural products compels Iraq to import from abroad, especially from Iran, due to its geographical proximity and lower prices of its products.
Al-Sakini concluded by indicating that the continuation of import restrictions through border crossings could affect the availability and prices of foodstuffs in the Iraqi markets.