Iraq has closed one of its southern border crossings with Iran, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, a separate report at Al-Ain news in the United Arab Emirates noted that “the US is pressuring Baghdad to close the border crossings with Iran.”
Iraq is in the spotlight as Iran continues to pressure it to expel Kurdish Iranian opposition groups. The United States is pressuring it to rein in Iranian-backed militias.
Iraq has closed the Sheeb border crossing with Iran to passengers, vehicles, and commercial trucks until further notice, two sources at the crossing said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. This is a major crossing for people and trade that leads to Iraq’s Maysan Governorate.
“Iraq ordered the closure of another crossing with Iran, Shalamcheh, in September as a precaution after drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, two security sources said at the time. Riyadh said the drones had been launched from Iraq,” Reuters reported.
Iraq has seven land border crossings between its territory and Iran’s. They are located in the Basra and Maysan governorates in the south, as well as Wasit and Diyala in the center and Sulaymaniyah and Erbil in the north. Additionally, there are also seasonal local crossings.
Shalamcheh crossing appears to be near an area that was used by Iranian-backed militias to carry out an attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline in September. Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is apparently convinced that recent reports in the region point to a return to the fighting by the US and Israel against Iran. As such, it is plausible that Iraq could be in the spotlight again.
Iran, Iranian-backed groups carry out over 1,600 attacks on Iraq
Iran has carried out over 1,000 attacks on Iraq since February. Additionally, Iranian-backed militias carried out at least 600 attacks within the country. Most of these targeted US facilities or Kurdish Iranian opposition groups.
The United States withdrew its forces from Iraq on September 30. Iran has continued to carry out attacks on Kurdish groups. Iran’s ambassador to Iraq wrote on October 20 that Iraq would expel the Kurdish Iranian opposition groups. Iran’s consul in Erbil has also threatened these groups.
A government source told the UAE’s Al-Ain News that Iraq’s prime minister “informed the leaders of the [Shi’ite] Coordination Framework during a meeting held late Monday evening at the office of the leader of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, that the government had received a message from the US Treasury Department demanding the closure of the borders with Iran, but Baghdad rejected the request.”
The report went on to say that the US “suggested keeping only two crossings open, one in the north and the other in the center (Mehran crossing), which connects the Iraqi Wasit Governorate with the Iranian Ilam.”
The report claims that Iraq responded to US Envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack, rejecting the decisions.
Iraq had also been pressured to suspend Iranian incoming flights. Iraq’s response was to enable Iranian airlines to fly to Najaf, while restricting other airports. The excuse is that Iranian Shi’ite pilgrims need to reach the Shi’ite holy sites in Iraq.
Barrack, who is also the US ambassador to Turkey, was in Qatar this week for a conference and spoke about American policy in the region. Iraq has a new US ambassador, and it is clear that many things are in motion in terms of American policy.
Zaidi aiming to strike balance for Iraq between US, Iran
Zaidi wants Iraq to be able to navigate between the United States and Iran while still appearing to be close to the US. “Al-Zaidi received information indicating that war between Iran and the United States is imminent,” the source told Al-Ain, noting that “Iraq cannot be involved in this war, and the repercussions will affect the political system and the state.”
Sheeb crossing, aka Al-Shaib, was the first targeted for closure in Maysan Governorate. The closure began Wednesday. Al-Ain added that “These developments were preceded by restrictions on flights between Iraq and Iran, which led to the suspension of flights at a number of Iraqi airports, before exceptional arrangements were made that allowed Iranian flights to continue through Najaf Airport, in light of contacts made by Baghdad with Washington to avoid the repercussions of the American sanctions.”
Al-Ain added that “among the most prominent of these border crossings are: Shalamcheh, Al-Shaib, Zurbatiyah, Al-Mundhiriyah, Mandali, Bashmakh, Parvizkhan, and Haji Omran. These crossings are considered a vital artery for trade exchange and the movement of travelers and visitors between the two countries,” he said.