Shafaq News– Najaf

Iran’s Consul General in Najaf said on Sunday that security conditions at official border crossings with Iraq remain stable and fully controlled, despite weeks of protests inside Iran, stressing that bilateral coordination is continuing at both security and diplomatic levels.

Iran’s Consul General in Najaf, Saeed Seedin, told Shafaq News that Tehran and Baghdad are maintaining constant communication to ensure border stability, citing the “positive” stance of caretaker Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani and the ongoing visit of Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein to Tehran as a sign of political coordination and regional understanding.

Seedin said Iran was closely monitoring its western borders with Iraq, emphasizing that joint security arrangements are in place to prevent infiltration, smuggling, or cross-border threats. “The recent unrest inside Iran has not affected the operation of official crossings or the movement of goods and travelers.”

Iran and Iraq share a long and heavily trafficked border that includes several major official crossings vital for trade, religious tourism, and passenger movement. Key gateways include Mehran–Zurbatiyah in central Iraq, Parviz Khan in the Kurdistan Region, and Khosravi, Bashmaq, Haji Omeran, and Shalamcheh, which together handle millions of travelers and large volumes of commercial freight each year.

The consul’s remarks came amid regional media reports alleging the presence of Iraqi armed faction members or security personnel in Iran during the protest period. Seedin did not address these claims directly but said coordination between the two governments was based on respecting sovereignty and preventing any spillover of unrest across borders.

Protests in Iran began in late December and were driven by economic grievances and political tensions. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), an Iran-based monitoring group, has reported thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests during the unrest, figures that remain difficult to independently verify due to restrictions on internet access inside the country.

Read more: Iran’s protests between economic crisis and political contestation

In Iraq, several provinces have witnessed solidarity gatherings in recent days, where supporters of Tehran-aligned factions carried portraits of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and banners criticizing the United States and Israel and accusing them of encouraging unrest inside Iran.

Seedin said Baghdad’s stance reflected what he described as a commitment to non-interference and regional stability, adding that cooperation between Iraq and Iran would continue, particularly on border security and economic exchange.