Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials strongly refuted Baghdad’s claims of unofficial border crossings. Hawre Kemal, a senior legal advisor at the KRG Ministry of Finance, said the KRG fully regulates these crossings and that they support local livelihoods.
Kemal also challenged statements by Omar Waeli, head of the Iraqi Border Ports Commission. Waeli had claimed some crossings bypass federal control. “Those remarks by Omar Waeli are untrue,” Kemal said. “The KRG officially manages all border crossings in the Kurdistan Region where commercial traffic occurs.” He added that the federal categorization misrepresents the region’s governance.
Therefore, the dispute focuses on which crossings are officially sanctioned. Baghdad recognizes major hubs like Parvizkhan, Bashmakh, Ibrahim Khalil, and Haji Omaran. The KRG officials, however, maintains that other points are also operational. Kemal stressed that residents rely on these crossings for trade and travel. “It is impossible and economically unfeasible for people to travel to distant federally recognized crossings,” he said.
Furthermore, other disputed crossings include Shushmi, Sayran Ban, Sarzer, Zet, and Peshkhabur. Kemal defended their use, noting they drive strong economic activity with Iran, Turkey, and Syria. He also criticized Waeli, pointing out restrictions on the federal official’s own movements. Kemal invited federal authorities to inspect the crossings themselves.
Therefore, the KRG Ministry of Finance rejected claims that the region caused declines in federal port revenues. The ministry blamed revenue losses on federal administrative failures, corruption, smuggling, and sudden tariff changes. It also dismissed claims that goods enter Kurdistan to avoid federal tariffs as “entirely unfounded.”
The ministry highlighted double taxation at federal checkpoints inside Iraq. This, it said, forces merchants to reroute supply chains and harms trade. The KRG linked the border dispute to budget disagreements. It emphasized that its federal budget share is a constitutional right. The ministry noted that Baghdad has withheld salaries for 12 years.
They stated that the Kurdistan Regional Government, as well as Iran and Türkiye, officially recognize all of the disputed crossings. The ministry confirmed it is ready to provide evidence and may take legal action against officials who continue making baseless claims.
