Iraq has closed the Al Sheeb border crossing with Iran to travellers and goods, according to a government official.
The closure, which took effect at 6am local time on Wednesday, will remain in place until further notice, the official told The National.
The move followed direct orders from Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi and the decision was taken to “reconsider the security arrangements inside the crossing”, the official said.
A border official told Reuters that the closure was due to a review in security and the installation of detection equipment to stop the smuggling of prohibited items.
The crossing, in the south-eastern province of Maysan, is one of the main commercial gateways between the two countries, used for transporting food and construction materials, as well as by Iranian pilgrims heading to holy sites in Najaf and Karbala.
Other border crossings with Iran are expected to be closed gradually, the government official said. If crossings such as Shalamcheh, Zurbatiyah and Mandali are also closed, it would significantly disrupt Iraq-Iran trade, which exceeded $10 billion last year.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran was not given advance notice that the Al Sheeb border crossing would be closed. The matter is under review, Iranian Interior Ministry spokesman Ali Zeinivand was quoted as saying.
Temporary closure of border crossings for several hours for security reasons “is considered routine, and in such cases does not require prior notification to the other party”, Mr Zeinivand said. According to an agreement between Iran and Iraq, any closure for more than one day requires advance notice, he said.
“Border closures create more problems for Iraqi traders and economic activists, and their negative effects are greater for the other side,” Mr Zeinivand said. “Therefore, this is a common issue, and we hope that the problem will be resolved with investigations carried out.”
Iraq had temporarily closed the Shalamcheh crossing in September as a precautionary security measure after drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The closure of Al Sheeb is likely to push up prices of basic goods, especially fresh produce and Iranian building materials that dominate southern markets.
The decision is likely to spark outrage among pro-Iran political blocs, who have already accused the government of leaning too far towards Washington at a time when the US maintains sweeping sanctions on Tehran.
Critics within the Co-ordination Framework, the largest Shiite parliamentary bloc for mainly Iran-backed factions, argue that closing commercial crossings effectively enforces US sanctions and harms border provinces that are economically dependent on Iranian trade, while supporters say Baghdad needs to tighten border control and diversify imports.
The Prime Minister’s office has not yet issued a formal statement explaining the scope or duration of the closures.
