Iraq says land crossings open as airspace closure continues

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s land border crossings with neighboring countries remain open and commercial activity continues despite the regional conflict, the Iraqi border authority said on Saturday.

“All of Iraq's land border crossings are open. Commercial movement is normal and the import of goods through the crossings continues,” Alauddin al-Qaisi, spokesperson for the Iraqi Border Ports Commission, told Rudaw.

However, he said Iraq’s airports remain closed due to the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority on Saturday extended the closure of the country’s airspace for another 72 hours.

Omar al-Waeli, head of the Border Ports Commission, told Iraqi state media on Saturday that staff are fully deployed at the country’s seaports “and have started bringing in all those containers that have completed their legal procedures.”

He added that land crossings, including Trebil, Arar, Safwan, and al-Qaim, remain ready to operate as alternatives if any of the country’s seaports “stop functioning.”

Meanwhile, Iraq’s trade ministry said it is closely monitoring shipping activity to ensure the continued supply of goods.

Trade ministry spokesperson Mohammed Hanoun told Rudaw on Wednesday that they are monitoring "with great attention” the movement of ships at the ports of Umm Qasr and al-Faw port to “ensure the arrival of basic goods to the country's markets.”

Last week, he said food supplies remain stable and markets are well stocked.

Following the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June 2025, trade between Iraq and Iran declined. Hanoun told Rudaw in late September that Iraq exported $178 million worth of goods to Iran while importing $4.328 billion. In 2024, total trade volume between the two countries stood at $12.5 billion.