Iraqi soldiers ride atop a Russian-made T-72 tank during an operation in the country’s north, September 20, 2017. (File photo by AFP)
A joint military exercise between Iranian and Iraqi forces has started on the Iran-KRG borders, temporarily closing two major border gates with Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.
The Parviz Khan gate and the Bashmakh border-crossing has temporarily closed this morning due to military exercises being launched on the border areas, according to Rudaw.
The closure only affected trade movement, not passengers on either side of the border.
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iraq’s Popular Molibization Units (also known as Hashd al-Shaabi) are involved in the military exercise.
Chief of the Turkish General Staff Hulusi Akar has visited Tehran on October 2 morning to meet with Commander of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran Mohammad Bagheri, discussing further joint military exercises in the region.
On September 30 Masoud Jazayeri, Iranian Army spokesman said the Iranian and Iraqi armies will hold joint military exercises at several crossings on Iran’s border with the autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region.
The Iraqi defence ministry has said it planned to take control of the borders in coordination with Tehran and Ankara.
On September 29 Iraq also imposed a ban on international flights into its Kurdish region, ordering foreign airlines to suspend travel to the airports in the cities of Erbil and Sulaimaniya.
Tehran has been cooperating with Baghdad in building pressure on Iraqi Kurds, notably by cutting all flights to and from the region before the vote.
It also banned the transportation of refined oil products by Iranian companies to and from Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.
Is good to see Iran and Iraq can come together. This was never part of the plan by the USA and Israel.