Travelers cross into Iraq at the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran in southeastern Iraq on April 4, 2026. Photo: Hussein Faleh/AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq has closed the al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran to all passengers, vehicles, and commercial transit until further notice.
An Iraqi border crossings official told Reuters that the sudden shutdown on Wednesday was implemented to review existing security procedures and install advanced detection equipment.
Officials mentioned that current security protocols at the busy Maysan province crossing were weak and inadequate to effectively halt the smuggling of prohibited materials.
Iranian security official Valiollah Hayati has advised passengers and cargo trucks to divert to the Shalamcheh crossing in Khuzestan province.
No official date has been announced for the resumption of operations. Local reports suggest the Iraqi government is currently evaluating security at other checkpoints and may gradually close additional borders with Iran in the coming days.
Iran’s Interior Ministry is currently in talks with Iraqi provincial authorities to coordinate a timeline for reopening the border.
In mid-September, Iraq announced the resumption of trade through its border crossings with Iran, following a brief closure due to security concerns.
Iraq closed several border crossings with Iran following a drone attack targeting a pipeline in Saudi Arabia, which Riyadh and Baghdad said originated from Iraqi territory.
Iraqi authorities had discovered drone launchers near the Iraqi-Iranian border in the remote al-Tayeb area in the southern province of Maysan.