Iran's Somar Border Crossing with Iraq Reopens

Iran’s Somar border crossing with Iraq in Kermanshah Province reopened on Tuesday after a temporary closure by the Iraqi side, with commercial activity and exports resuming, a local official said.
“The Somar border crossing, which was temporarily closed by the Iraqi side, reopened on Tuesday morning for commercial and economic activity,” said Heshmat Rezaei, governor of Gilan-e Gharb.
“Exports of goods are currently underway through this border,” he said. Around 300 trucks carrying export goods are now traveling through the Somar crossing each day, with major shipments including dried fruits, construction materials, tiles and perishable goods, Rezaei said. Kermanshah Province shares more than 371 km of border with Iraq, and nearly US$3 billion worth of goods are exported through its border crossings each year, according to the report.

The reopening of Somar follows Iraq’s closure on Saturday of several border crossings, including Shalamcheh and Chazabeh in Khuzestan Province, after a drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline from Iraqi territory. The move led to a 25% increase in the cost of transporting goods, according to the report. The governor of Khuzestan Province said on Monday that passenger terminals at the two crossings had reopened. Meanwhile, Shahla Amouri, head of the Ahvaz Chamber of Commerce, said commercial activity at the Chazabeh crossing would resume at 6 a.m. on Thursday, based on an official notification from the Iraqi side. According to the Iraqi side, commercial activity and cargo transportation at Chazabeh will resume at 6 a.m. on Thursday after technical measures are completed, operational procedures are organized and the relevant systems are updated, Amouri said. Commercial activity at the Shalamcheh crossing resumed at 6 a.m. on Monday, and trade through the crossing is now underway, Amouri added. The temporary suspension of commercial activity has caused heavy congestion of trucks carrying export goods bound for Iraq in the Chazabeh border area, she said. The trucks will remain at the border until the commercial section officially reopens. Despite the temporary restriction, trade between Iran and Iraq has not come to a complete halt, Amouri said, adding that activity at other border crossings between the two countries has continued around the clock. - Iran Daily