US Asks Iraq to Close All But Two Iran Border Crossings, Baghdad Warns It Would Hurt Iraq

The United States has asked Iraq to close all but two of its commercial border crossings with Iran, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Sunday, as Washington tightens the economic pressure on Tehran in the ninth month of the US-Iran war. Under the American proposal, only one crossing in Iraq's Kurdistan region and one elsewhere in the country would stay open.

Hussein warned that the move would punish Baghdad as well as Tehran. "Closing the border crossings could be a punishment for Iran, but it would also hurt Iraq," he said in an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Sunday, November 8, 2026. "Trade would stop, movement would stop." He said the two governments are still in talks and no final decision has been taken.

Key Points

• The US Treasury has asked Iraq to close all of its commercial border crossings with Iran except two.
• The two crossings that would stay open have not been identified; one would be in the Kurdistan region and the other elsewhere in Iraq.
• Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned the closures would halt trade and movement and hurt Iraq as well as Iran.
• Iraq-Iran trade is worth $15-18 billion a year, including about $4 billion of gas imports from Iran.
• The request comes as US Central Command launched Task Force Iron Gate to disrupt Iran's land routes.

What Happened

Hussein disclosed the request in the Al Jazeera interview, saying Washington had asked Baghdad to shut every commercial crossing with Iran apart from two. He said it was not clear which two crossings would be kept open, or whether the restrictions would cover visitors, commercial traffic or all movement across the border.

The foreign minister said the two sides are still talking. His warning was blunt: closing the crossings would stop trade and stop movement, and the damage would fall on Iraq too. Baghdad has not said whether it will accept the American request, and no timetable for any closures has been announced.

Iraq has already tightened controls at the border. Last month it closed the busy Sheeb crossing with Iran to review security and install equipment to detect smuggling.

Background and Context

The Iraq-Iran border is one of the busiest commercial frontiers in the Middle East. Trade between the two neighbours is worth $15-18 billion a year, and Iraq buys about $4 billion of gas from Iran each year, gas that feeds power stations across the country. Thousands of trucks cross the frontier every week carrying food, building materials, fuel and consumer goods.

Iraq has already paid a heavy price for the war between the United States and Iran. Hussein said Iraq lost about $60 billion when it could not export oil through the Strait of Hormuz for roughly four months at the start of the war, with exports falling from 3.3-3.4 million barrels a day to zero at times.

The border request is part of a wider American campaign to squeeze Iran's economy and its supply lines. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports, imposed in April 2026 and reimposed in July after a brief ceasefire, has already blocked more than $25 billion of Iranian crude exports, according to US Central Command.

Iraq Iran Border Crossings Carry Billions in Trade Each Year

The scale of the trade is why Baghdad is alarmed. At $15-18 billion a year, commerce with Iran is one of Iraq's largest bilateral relationships, and the gas alone — about $4 billion a year — keeps the lights on in Iraqi cities. Cutting the crossings to two would force that trade through a narrow funnel,, forcing that trade through a narrow funnel.

For Iran, the crossings are a lifeline. With its ports blockaded and its oil exports choked, Tehran depends on overland trade with its neighbours to bring in goods and move money. The land routes through Iraq also matter to the Revolutionary Guard's logistics networks, which is why Washington wants them closed.

For Iraq, the risk runs the other way. Closing the crossings would hit Iraqi traders, truck drivers and border towns that live off the traffic, and it could push trade into smuggling routes that are harder to police.

Reactions and Quotes

Hussein's warning was the clearest public signal yet that Baghdad is resisting the request. "Closing the border crossings could be a punishment for Iran, but it would also hurt Iraq," he said, adding: "Trade would stop, movement would stop."

Tehran was defiant. Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Washington would be "powerless to block" Iran's links with its neighbours, a claim that sets up a direct test of the new American task force. President Donald Trump, writing on Truth Social, said Task Force Iron Gate is "in full force and effect" alongside what he called "history's greatest Naval Blockade".

Why It Matters

The request puts Iraq in the middle of the war. Baghdad depends on Washington for security support and on Tehran for gas, trade and political ties with powerful Shia parties. Saying yes would damage its economy and anger Iran; saying no would test its relationship with the United States at a moment when American forces are operating across the region.

It also tests the logic of the pressure campaign. The naval blockade has already cost Iran billions in lost oil revenue, but the land routes have kept goods moving. If Iraq closes the crossings, Tehran's isolation deepens and the talks to end the war gain leverage for Washington.

What Happens Next

The talks between Baghdad and Washington continue, and the first sign of movement will be whether the two crossings that would stay open are named — and whether ordinary travellers and pilgrims are exempt.

Watch also for Task Force Iron Gate's first results and for Tehran's response. If Iraq agrees, the closures would mark the sharpest escalation of the economic war since the blockade was reimposed in July.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which border crossings would stay open?
The two crossings have not been identified. Washington proposes keeping one open in Iraq's Kurdistan region and another elsewhere in the country.

How much trade crosses the Iraq-Iran border?
Bilateral trade is worth $15-18 billion a year, including about $4 billion of gas imports from Iran.

Why does the US want the crossings closed?
Washington is tightening economic pressure on Tehran. The request comes as US Central Command launched Task Force Iron Gate to disrupt Iran's land routes, alongside the naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Has Iraq already closed any crossings?
Yes. Last month Iraq closed the busy Sheeb border crossing with Iran to review security and install equipment to detect smuggling.

What has Iran said?
A spokesman for the Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Mohebi, said Washington would be "powerless to block" Iran's links with its neighbours.

Related coverage: CENTCOM launches Task Force Iron Gate to choke Iran's land weapons trade, Drone attack halts Iraq's Khor Mor gas field, cutting two-thirds of Kurdistan power and Vance says US-Iran talks are making progress with no deadline for a deal.