Iran loses $2.5 billion since closing borders with Kurdistan Region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – An Iranian Member of Parliament on Tuesday said closing the country’s border with the Kurdistan Region had inflicted $2.5 billion in losses in addition to adverse social and political reactions.

After the Kurdistan Region received an overwhelming “yes” vote in a democratically-held referendum in September, Iran closed its borders to punish the Region for demanding independence from Iraq.

However, experts say Iran is the main loser of the punitive measure since Turkey, who left its borders open, quickly replaced Iranian products in Kurdistan.

Two months after the decision, Iranian MP Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, who represents the cities of Dalahou and Shahabad in the province of Kermanshah (also known as Kermashan), told Iranian media that closing down borders had “cost Iran too much.”

He added that closing the borders did not only bring economic damage, but the punitive measures against the Kurds for holding a vote had “socially backfired” as well.

The Kurdish region of Iran, suffering politically-driven economic discrimination, has significantly high rates of unemployment, causing a lot of suffering which has been one of the reasons for an increase in suicide.

After closing the borders, a lot of men and women who usually earn a living by trading goods between the two crossings lost their income, increasing Kurds’ outrage at their government.

The Kurdish MP warned Iran that if it does not open the borders immediately, the pressure of poverty would increase people’s anger and lead to political consequences.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany