Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the United States formally asked Iraq to close all but two border crossings with Iran.

Axar.az reports that Hussein made the remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera.

He added that while Iraq welcomed friendship and an alliance with Tehran, it rejected interference in its internal affairs.

Baghdad was also in contact with Tehran over Iraqi armed factions’ weapons, he added, arguing that bringing weapons under state control should be achieved through dialogue rather than armed confrontation.

Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi had reached understandings with four factions over their weapons, Hussein said. Asaib Ahl Al-Haq and Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada had agreed to weapons controls, while negotiations continued with Harakat Al-Nujaba and Kataib Hezbollah.