Iraq to close its border crossings with Iran in stages, starting with al-Sheeb

Iraq's government is beginning to close its border crossings with Iran in stages. An official Iraqi source said on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, that on the orders of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, the first step will be the closure of the al-Sheeb crossing in Maysan province, opposite the Chazabeh crossing in Khuzestan, from 6 a.m. Iraq time on Wednesday, 21 October.

According to the source, the suspension at al-Sheeb covers both commercial shipments and passengers and will remain in place until further notice. Other crossings will also be closed gradually, but no timetable has been announced for them, and it is unclear whether exemptions will be made for certain goods or travellers. Al Arabiya also reported, citing informed sources, that the al-Sheeb crossing had been completely closed and that the Iraqi government was seeking to close other crossings with Iran. The Iraqi government has not yet issued an official statement on the reason for the decision.

Background to Iraq's border closures with Iran

This is not the first time Baghdad has closed its borders with Iran. In September, after a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline that Iraqi officials said had been launched from Maysan province, Iraq temporarily closed the Shalamcheh, al-Sheeb and Mandali crossings. Ali al-Zaidi dismissed the Maysan operations commander at the time, and Iraqi officials called the move a security decision to find the attackers and stop drone smuggling. The crossings were reopened gradually after a few days, but al-Sheeb remained closed longer than the others.

Baghdad's new decision comes as the Islamic Republic's overland trade routes are narrowing one after another. Earlier, trade at the Taftan and Rimdan crossings with Pakistan had come to a halt, and according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, no oil loading has been observed at Kharg Island since August. Iraq is one of the most important markets for Iran's non-oil exports and one of the few remaining routes for bringing in goods and hard currency.

The impact on the people of Iran

The closure of the western crossings affects not only trade but also the movement of travellers and pilgrims and the livelihoods of thousands of drivers, traders and border workers in the provinces of Khuzestan, Ilam and Kermanshah, people who were already burdened by the cash shortage and economic collapse caused by the Islamic Republic's policies.

With trade halted on the Pakistani border and Iraq's crossings closing, the Islamic Republic's overland trade routes are narrower than ever.