Border restrictions divert Iraq-bound trucks to Ilam’s Mehran
Shafaq News- Ilam
Truck traffic at Iran's Mehran border crossing with Iraq has increased as restrictions at neighboring crossings push more commercial vehicles toward the route, Ilam Customs Director General told Iranian Mehr News Agency.
Sohrab Kamari said customs authorities were working to handle the additional traffic by accelerating clearance procedures and facilitating exports to Iraq.
Earlier this week, Iraq closed the Al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran until further notice, without providing further details. Tehran criticized the move, accusing Baghdad of failing to give advance notice as required under a bilateral agreement.
Kamari told Iran's official news agency IRNA on September 24 that exports through Mehran reached $453 million over the past six months, totaling more than 1 million metric tons of goods, mainly destined for Iraq. The crossing connects Iran's Ilam province with Zurbatiyah in Iraq's Wasit province.
