Shalamcheh crossing at the border between Iran and Iraq has been reopened for trade after it was temporarily closed by the authorities on the Iraqi side from Eid al-Adha to Eid al-Ghadir.
The international border of Shalamcheh has been reopened and traders and merchants of the two countries have resumed trading, the deputy head of investment and business development of the Arvand Free Zone said.
"The Iraqi side announced on Thursday, July 30, that the Shalamcheh trade border will be closed from Eid al-Adha to Eid al-Ghadir, and that no trade will take place at this border," Seyyed Ali Mousavi said
"Exports of non-oil goods, including food, fruits, vegetables, protein, materials, technical and engineering services, were resumed at the international border in Shalamcheh on July 8, according to an agreement reached with the Iraqi side," he added.
Exports of non-oil goods from the international border of Shalamcheh, according to an agreement reached with the Iraqi side, were officially resumed on Wednesday, July 8, after a four-month shut down due to the spread of the Coronavirus, during which 21,000 tons of non-oil goods worth $ 95 million exported to Iraq.
Khosravi crossing was also reopned in late July after a five-month closure due to the coronavirus. Mehran crossing, another major crossing between the two countries, was reopened in early June for the trade between Iran and Iraq to be resumed. The border between Iran and the Iraqi Kurdistan was opened even sooner in early May, weeks after it was shut to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Shalamcheh border is located 15 km from Khorramshahr and 25 km from Basra, Iraq.
The map shows main border crossings between Iran and Iraq.
Prior to the closure of the Shalamcheh border by Iraq, more than 200 trucks carrying a variety of domestically exported goods and 150 Iraqi trucks traveled daily at the Shalamcheh border port to unload and load goods.
Arvand Free Zone with an area of 37,400 hectares in the northwest of the Persian Gulf includes the cities of Abadan, Khorramshahr, and Minoshahr (Mino Island), which is located at the confluence of the Arvand and Karun rivers.
This region is of special importance in the neighborhood of Iraq and Kuwait with suitable capacities such as road, rail, sea, and air transportation.