General Closure of Commercial Markets in Iraq in Protest Against New Customs Tariffs

The Baghdad Chamber of Commerce announced a complete shutdown of commercial markets across Iraq starting Sunday, in protest against Government Decision No. 957 of 2025 regarding increased customs tariffs on imports. The decision was ratified in late October 2025 and came into effect in January 2026.

The decision raises tariffs to between 5% and 30%, covering most imported goods. However, implementation was sudden, without a gradual schedule or exemptions for essential goods. This led to a halt in the movement of goods at customs, affected market prices, and sparked a wave of anger among traders.

The Chamber of Commerce stated that the closure aims to pressure the government to amend or postpone the application of the new tariffs, especially since the abrupt implementation caused immediate losses for traders and disrupted supplies in the markets.

Background: The decision was issued by the central government before the new parliament had full authority. Since then, parliament has not made any amendments to the decision, despite repeated protests from traders.

The Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) alongside Witkoff and Kushner as part of the American delegation in the Iran–United States negotiations in Muscat.