Iraq closes border crossing with Iran under US pressure, sources say
Iraq closes border crossing with Iran until an unspecified date, as two sources say the US is pressing Baghdad to shut more crossings and squeeze Tehran.
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Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026.
Reuters/File
Iraq closed the al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran on Wednesday "until an unspecified date," an Iraqi source told AFP. Two other sources said the United States is pressuring Baghdad to close more crossings to tighten economic pressure on Tehran.
Why did Iraq close the border crossing with Iran?
The Iraqi source did not give a reason for the closure. The Iranian judiciary's Mizan Online website confirmed it and said it followed a decision by the Iraqi prime minister's office. Two political sources linked the move to US pressure, as Washington seeks to increase economic pressure on Iran.
A source at Iraq's border crossings authority told AFP the crossing "has been closed since this morning until an unspecified date." The source did not specify the reason.
Is the US pressuring Iraq to close more border crossings?
Two political sources told AFP that the United States is pressuring the Iraqi government to close all border crossings with Iran. One said the US Treasury Department raised the issue with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi when he was in New York last month for the UN General Assembly.
The source said "all border crossings will be closed except for one crossing in federal territory and one crossing in the Kurdistan region," which is semi-autonomous. The second source added that the United States has asked all countries bordering Iran to do the same.
Why is Washington increasing economic pressure on Iran?
Washington has been seeking to increase economic pressure on Iran since the outbreak of the Middle East war in February. It has imposed sanctions on entities it accuses of being linked to the Islamic republic.
Iraq and Iran are bound by close political, religious and economic ties. They share a border of more than 1,400 kilometers (850 miles) with at least eight official crossings.
Has Iran reported border disruptions with other neighbors?
Iranian authorities have acknowledged disruptions on the border with Pakistan. Interior ministry spokesperson Ali Zeinivand said on Wednesday: "Regarding Pakistan, yes, there have been disruptions to border exchanges with some neighboring countries."
Zeinivand added that "some of these disruptions are naturally occurring and happen in various periods, even when there is no war or sanctions."
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