Iraq, Jordan Reopen Border Crossing

Iraqi flags fly at the Iraqi Trebil border crossing on the Iraq-Jordan border on August 30, 2017. (AP)
Iraqi flags fly at the Iraqi Trebil border crossing on the Iraq-Jordan border on August 30, 2017. (AP)
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Iraq, Jordan Reopen Border Crossing

Iraqi flags fly at the Iraqi Trebil border crossing on the Iraq-Jordan border on August 30, 2017. (AP)
Iraqi flags fly at the Iraqi Trebil border crossing on the Iraq-Jordan border on August 30, 2017. (AP)

Iraq and Jordan have inaugurated a joint industrial area on the border between the neighboring countries.

The ceremony on the Iraq-Jordan border was attended by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and his Jordanian counterpart Omar Razzaz.

Saturday's meeting was also attended by top officials as the former neighbors boost their relations following the defeat of the ISIS terrorist group that controlled areas in Iraq bordering Jordan.

The border crossing was formally reopened Saturday.

As part of the agreement between the two countries that was signed in late December, Iraq will supply Jordan with oil a day at a lower price.

Under the deal, Iraq would sell 10,000 barrels per day of oil to Jordan at a special price, transported by tanker from its Kirkuk oilfields, the Jordanian prime minister’s office said in a statement. It did not say what the price was or when the oil would be exported.

Iraqi goods imported via Jordan’s Aqaba port on the Red Sea would meanwhile receive preferential tariffs, it said.

Aqaba port at the north end of the Red Sea has long been a major transit route for Iraqi imports and exports, and Amman has long relied on Iraqi crude to fuel its economy.

Razzaz’s office also said Jordan would begin to export electricity to Iraq within the next two years.

Abdul Mahdi says the government aims to decrease dependency on oil exports for state revenue. Oil exports from OPEC’s second-largest producer account for more than 95 percent of state revenues.

Furthermore, Abdul-Mahdi's office said Iraqi officials were handed 1,300 pieces of antiquities that Jordanian authorities confiscated from smugglers.



Hezbollah Mulls Handing Its Heavy Weapons to Lebanese Army

A UNIFIL patrol in the border town of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, April 6 (AFP) 
A UNIFIL patrol in the border town of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, April 6 (AFP) 
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Hezbollah Mulls Handing Its Heavy Weapons to Lebanese Army

A UNIFIL patrol in the border town of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, April 6 (AFP) 
A UNIFIL patrol in the border town of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, April 6 (AFP) 

Lebanon has linked any move toward resolving the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons to Israel’s withdrawal from territories it still occupies in southern Lebanon and the return of Lebanese prisoners.

This position comes amid increasing diplomatic activity from Lebanese officials following a recent visit to Beirut by Morgan Ortagus, Deputy US Special Envoy to the Middle East, who urged Lebanese authorities to address the Hezbollah arms file swiftly.

A Lebanese ministerial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the current priority is “Israel’s withdrawal from the points it still occupies in the south, the return of Lebanese prisoners, and resolving the 13 disputed land border points”—a file unresolved since 2006.

The source added: “If progress is made on this front—Israeli withdrawal and prisoner return—parallel discussions with Hezbollah about disarmament could begin,” though no specific mechanism for disarmament was outlined. “There must be a conducive atmosphere for dialogue, which cannot happen without Israeli withdrawal. That’s Lebanon’s priority,” the source said.

Israeli Withdrawal as a Condition

Hezbollah’s position aligns with that of the Lebanese state. Reuters quoted a senior Hezbollah official saying the group is willing to discuss the issue of its arms within the framework of a national defense strategy, but only after Israel withdraws from five locations in southern Lebanon and ceases its aggression against Lebanese civilians.

In parallel, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is expected to call for a cabinet session where Defense Minister Michel Mnassah will present a plan to assert full state sovereignty over Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah: Defense Regardless of the Mechanism

Hezbollah, in public statements, emphasizes “defending Lebanon from Israeli aggression regardless of the mechanism.” Hezbollah MP Ali Al-Moqdad told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We aim to protect Lebanon and defend it, and this is a national consensus,” stressing the need for collective cooperation in formulating a protective strategy.

Disarmament Mechanisms Under Discussion

Potential mechanisms for disarming Hezbollah include direct negotiations between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and the party, or broader discussions of a national defense strategy. Most Lebanese political circles favor dialogue and mutual understanding, firmly ruling out the use of military force.

Army Commander General Rodolphe Haikal reportedly conveyed to Ortagus his refusal to disarm Hezbollah by force, citing the risk of a military confrontation. Ortagus, however, reportedly urged “gradual but practical steps” to disarm the group, emphasizing that the Lebanese Army must “accelerate and intensify operations” toward this goal.

US Pressure to Move Forward

Ortagus told Lebanese officials that resolving the arms issue is urgent and emphasized that weapons should be in the hands of the state alone. In a statement to local channel LBCI, she reiterated Washington’s position, saying that it is clear “Hezbollah must be disarmed, and it’s clear Israel won’t accept rockets being launched at its territory. That’s a position we understand.”

Possible Transfer of Heavy Weapons

According to Reuters, sources close to Hezbollah said the group is considering transferring its heavy weapons—including drones and anti-tank missiles—north of the Litani River to the Lebanese Army. These sources noted that Aoun believes the issue must be resolved through dialogue, warning that any attempt to forcibly disarm Hezbollah could lead to conflict.