Iraq-Iran border crossing reopens after attack that killed two

Operations at the Shalamcheh border post between Iraq and Iran resumed on Thursday after a three-hour suspension requested by Iran following a bombing on the Iranian side of the crossing, the Iraqi Border Ports Commission said. According to a statement from the commission, the crossing, located in the southern Iraqi province of Basra, was temporarily closed from 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time on Thursday to allow Iranian authorities to reorganise their operational activities after the bombing. The commission said all border operations are now running smoothly around the clock to facilitate the entry of visitors. The Shalamcheh border crossing serves as a major land transit route between Iraq and Iran, handling heavy passenger traffic. Earlier the same day, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported that a missile struck an area near the passenger terminal on the Iranian side of the crossing, killing two people. Mehr attributed the attack to the United States. The incident occurred amid rising regional tensions as the US and Iran have launched attacks against each other in recent days. The US has carried out strikes against Iranian targets, while Iran has retaliated by attacking US bases and facilities in the region.