Iraq to reopen Sheeb border crossing with Iran, temporarily close Mandali border

Iraq will reopen ​the Sheeb border crossing ‌with Iran ​on Tuesday morning after completing technical requirements and necessary procedures, the head ‌of the country's Border Ports Authority said, according to state news agency INA.

The authority will temporarily close the Mandali border crossing with ‌Iran from Friday to complete technical requirements, INA reported. The developments ‌come after Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said that the US Treasury had asked Baghdad to close all border crossings with Iran except ⁠for ​two, as part ⁠of Washington's efforts to increase economic pressure on Tehran.

"There are many official ⁠and unofficial border crossings with Iran, and closing all of ​them would be difficult and would affect our economy. The ⁠Americans are still demanding the closure of the crossings, and we are ⁠currently ​in discussions with them," Hussein told Al Jazeera. Iraq closed last month the busy Sheeb border crossing with Iran ⁠to review security and install detection equipment to stop smuggling.

It was not ⁠immediately ⁠clear whether the planned reopening of Sheeb or the temporary closure of Mandali was related ‌to the US ‌request.