Iraq reopens Shib crossing with Iran after three-week closure

Iraq reopened the Shib border crossing with Iran to passengers and commercial traffic on Tuesday after a three-week closure, while announcing that the Mandali crossing will temporarily shut from Friday for maintenance, Anadolu Agency reported.

Omar al-Waeli, head of Iraq’s Border Ports Authority, said in a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency that Shib resumed operations at 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) after technical requirements and procedures were completed.

Mandali is due to close at 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) on Friday for preparation and maintenance work ahead of the rainy season. Al-Waeli said rain-season weather could affect vehicle movement inside the crossing.

The authority did not say how long Mandali would remain closed. It said the reopening date would be announced after the work is completed.

Shib is in southeastern Iraq’s Maysan province and connects with the Chazabeh crossing in Iran’s Khuzestan province. Mandali is in Iraq’s eastern Diyala province.

On Oct. 21, Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Abboudi attributed Shib’s closure to a lack of technical readiness and said trade with Iran had continued through other border crossings.

Shib was also closed in September as part of measures that Iraq’s Security Media Cell said were intended to reorganize border operations and investigate violations at crossing points. Authorities kept the Zurbatiyah and Al-Mundhiriyah crossings open to travelers at the time, before Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered that stranded passengers be allowed to cross through Shib and Shalamcheh.

Al-Zaidi recently visited Iran to discuss ways to reduce regional tensions, Iraqi Ambassador to Tehran Yasser Abdul Zahra al-Hajjaj said on Monday. Al-Hajjaj told the Iraqi News Agency the visit was “private and unannounced.” The Border Ports Authority said Shib reopened after technical procedures were completed and did not link the decision to the prime minister’s visit.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in an interview with Qatar-based television channel Al Jazeera on Sunday that the US Treasury Department had asked Baghdad to close all border crossings with Iran except two.

Hussein said the Iraqi government was continuing discussions with Washington over the request and warned that carrying it out would affect Iraq’s economy.