Iraq Partially Reopens Iran Trade Crossing, Border Officials Say

Iraq partially reopened its southern Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran on Tuesday after more than three months of closure to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, border officials said. The crossing was being opened only for the trade of foodstuffs, allowing in some 500 trucks from Iran per week and would open every Wednesday and Sunday from now on, one of the officials said. Iraq closed its international borders and provincial boundaries in March except for the delivery of essential goods such as food as it sought to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

In related remarks, Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) said that the Soomar and Shalamcheh borders will be reopened to a limited extent. Seyyed Rouhollah Latifi made the announcement on Tuesday, saying that Iraq's Prime Minister Mostafa al-Kadhimi has agreed to a limited reopening of the Mandali border in Diyala province and the Shalamcheh border in Basra province. He added that according to the Iraqi officials, the reopening of the two borders will be two days a week and 250 trucks of Iranian export cargo can pass via each border every day. Iraqi officials have emphasized the strict implementation of health protocols and meeting the needs of the two Iraqi provinces, Latifi said.

Asaad Abdulameer Al Eidani Governor of Basra Province said that Trade activity was resumed in Shalamcheh Border Crossing in southern province of Iraqi’s Basra. He added, “Shalamcheh Border Crossing has been reopened only for trade and exchange of goods after the agreement of the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazimi and Iraqi National Health and Safety Committee.” Since import of Iranian goods through Iraqi’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) border crossings to Basra was time consuming and merchants of this province had to pay more cost for import of goods, Shalamcheh Border Crossing was reopened after consulting with the Iraqi government and cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Iraq, he added.

Iran, which shares a long border with Iraq, has been the epicenter of the virus in the Middle East but the spread has also accelerated in Iraq which is registering nearly 2,000 new cases every day. More than 2,500 people have died from COVID-19 in Iraq according to its health ministry. Iran is one of Iraq’s biggest trading partners. Both countries’ economies are in crisis. Iran continues to suffer from US sanctions and Iraq is reeling from low prices of oil, which accounts for almost all its state revenue. - Reuters, Mehr