Iraq Reopens Sheeb Border Crossing With Iran, Mandali to Close Temporarily

The reopening of Sheeb restores a key Iraq–Iran trade artery after a closure Iraq had framed as technical, so the practical question is whether throughput normalizes quickly or the fix proves fragile. The simultaneous shutdown of Mandali for maintenance suggests Baghdad is sequencing repairs across crossings rather than restoring capacity all at once, which matters for traders and transporters who depend on these routes. Whether Mandali's closure stays brief, and whether Sheeb holds open, is the open question for cross-border flows.