US asks Iraq to shut most Iran border crossings, Iraqi foreign minister says

The US Treasury is asking Iraq to close nearly all border crossings with Iran, leaving only two open. The request is part of Washington’s effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran. It puts Iraq in a difficult position because Iran is a major neighboring trading partner, and border activity affects Iraq’s economy.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Iraq has many official and unofficial crossings with Iran. He said closing them all would be difficult and would affect the economy. Iraq recently closed the busy Sheeb crossing to review security and install detection equipment designed to stop smuggling.

Iraq is still discussing the border issue with the United States. The country has not agreed to close every crossing. If it followed the request, trade and travel through most Iran-Iraq crossings would stop, while two crossings would remain available. The article does not identify both remaining crossings, but it says one is in the Kurdistan region.

A border crossing is a point where people, vehicles, and goods pass from one country into another. Governments use crossings to check travelers, inspect cargo, collect required fees, and enforce border rules. They may be roads, bridges, or other controlled entry points. The article focuses on crossings between Iraq and Iran.

An official crossing is recognized and managed by the authorities on both sides. An unofficial crossing is not part of the formal network or does not have the same government authorization and controls. The article does not explain how each type operates, but Hussein said Iraq has many official and unofficial crossings with Iran. That distinction matters for security, trade, and anti-smuggling efforts.

The Sheeb crossing is an example of an official border location discussed in the article. Iraq closed it temporarily to review security and install detection equipment. The article does not provide a total count or list of all crossings, so the exact scale of the network remains unknown.

The US request would leave two Iran-Iraq border crossings open and close the rest. One of those exceptions is in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. This is the clearest figure provided about the proposed arrangement, and it would sharply reduce the number of available entry points.

The article does not give a total number for all crossings. It only says there are “many” official and unofficial crossings with Iran. Therefore, the number that would close cannot be calculated from the information provided. The phrase “all border crossings except for two” describes the policy request, not the current total.

That missing figure matters because the economic and security effects would depend partly on how many crossings are affected and how much traffic each handles. The article identifies Sheeb as a busy crossing, but it does not say how many other crossings are busy or how trade is divided among them. Iraq and the United States are still discussing the issue.

The US Treasury is the US government department associated with financial and economic pressure. In this case, it is asking Iraq to close most crossings with Iran as part of Washington’s policy of increasing pressure on Tehran. Restricting border access can make it harder for goods and money to move through normal trade channels.

The mechanism is direct: fewer open crossings mean fewer official routes for importing, exporting, and transporting goods. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned that closing all the crossings would affect Iraq’s economy. The article also says Iraq has many official and unofficial crossings, so the request concerns a broad border network rather than one location.

The effect on Iraq would depend on how much trade uses the crossings and whether other routes can handle the traffic. The article does not measure that impact. Iraq is negotiating with the United States, while the recent Sheeb closure shows that security and anti-smuggling concerns are also shaping policy.

Closing most crossings could produce both economic damage and stronger border control. Iraq’s foreign minister said shutting all the crossings would affect the economy, so trade could slow, costs could rise, and some businesses could lose access to familiar routes. The article does not quantify these effects or identify which sectors would be hit hardest.

A smaller number of open crossings could make inspections more concentrated. That might help authorities check cargo and detect smuggling more closely. Iraq closed the busy Sheeb crossing to review security and install detection equipment specifically to stop smuggling. This example shows the security goal behind tighter border management.

The outcome would depend on how Iraq manages the remaining crossings and whether traders can shift their activity. Two crossings would remain under the US request, including one in Kurdistan. Iraq has not accepted the full closure, and its government is still discussing the border situation with the United States.

The clearest alternative would be to use the two crossings that the US request would allow to remain open. One of those crossings is in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Traders and travelers could therefore try to redirect movement through those locations, although the article does not say whether they have enough capacity or suitable connections.

Other possible alternatives could include different legal land routes, air travel, or sea transport. These are general possibilities, not arrangements described in the article. The source does not name alternative countries, routes, ports, airports, or transport services. It also does not explain how people would obtain permission or how much those options would cost.

The practical result would depend on Iraq’s final decision and the capacity of the remaining routes. Iraq is negotiating with the United States rather than announcing a complete closure. The recent Sheeb closure was linked to security and anti-smuggling measures, so any alternatives would still face border checks and enforcement rules.

Economic sanctions are restrictions designed to pressure a government by limiting its access to trade, money, technology, or markets. The goal is to make certain activities more costly or difficult without using direct military force. In this case, the United States is seeking greater economic pressure on Iran, partly through Iraq’s border policy.

Sanctions often reach beyond the targeted country because neighboring businesses may trade with it or provide routes for goods and payments. If those businesses fear penalties or lose access to normal channels, they may reduce trade. Closing border crossings is one possible way to restrict movement, although the article does not describe the full US sanctions system or specific penalties.

Iraq illustrates this wider effect. Its foreign minister said closing the crossings would be difficult and would affect Iraq’s economy. Iraq is also balancing security concerns, including efforts to stop smuggling at Sheeb. The two governments are discussing the border issue, so the final policy and its economic consequences remain unsettled.