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Iraqi authorities have announced plans to gradually reopen three border crossings with Iran after closing them following a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline near the shared border.
The crossings were shut on Saturday, a day after drones struck the East-West pipeline on Friday night. Following the attack, Iraqi authorities dismissed the military commander in Missan province, which borders Iran, after determining that the drones had been launched from the area.
The government subsequently closed three crossings, citing the need to reorganise their operations and strengthen intelligence efforts to prevent further violations.
Two Iraqi security sources told AFP on Saturday that drone launchers had been discovered near the al-Shib border crossing in Missan.
Iraq’s security media cell said on Sunday that the crossings would reopen in stages after authorities reviewed their operations. The reopening schedule runs from Sunday through Thursday and covers the Shalamsheh crossing in Basra, al-Shib in Missan and al-Mandali crossing in Diyala.
Shalamsheh and al-Shib reopened to passengers on Sunday, although commercial trade remained suspended at both crossings. No group has claimed responsibility for the pipeline attack.
An alliance of Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions also denied involvement, despite previous accusations by Saudi Arabia that Iraqi groups had targeted its oil infrastructure.
In July, the United States and Saudi Arabia said they had carried out strikes against Iran-backed militants in Iraq following attacks targeting US forces and Saudi oil facilities.
Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq have supported Tehran during the wider Middle East conflict and have claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks against US bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
