Iraq and Syria to reopen Al-Qaim border crossing next week
Shafaq News/ Iraq and Syria will reopen the Al-Qaim–Al-Bukamal border crossing to travelers and commercial traffic next Monday, officials from both countries confirmed on Thursday.
Turki Al-Mahlawi, the district commissioner of Al-Qaim in Iraq's Al-Anbar Province, told Shafaq News that the crossing will resume normal operations at the beginning of next week following a bilateral agreement.
The reopening does not pose any security threat to Al-Anbar or Iraq, noting that the border is 'well-secured and jointly managed,' he added.
Additionally, Syria's General Authority for Land and Maritime Border Crossings announced that the Al-Bukamal crossing will reopen on June 14 for both travelers and freight trucks.
تُعلن الهيئة العامة للمنافذ البرية والبحرية عن افتتاح معبر البوكمال الحدودي مع العراق أمام حركة عبور المسافرين والشاحنات اعتباراً من يوم السبت الموافق لـ 2025/06/14م.وإذ تؤكّد الهيئة جاهزية كوادرها وكافة المرافق الخدمية في المعبر، فإنها تهيب بالأخوة المسافرين وسائقي الشاحنات… pic.twitter.com/dsCAEiegpz
— الهيئة العامة للمنافذ البرية والبحرية السورية (@Syrianborders) June 12, 2025
Mazen Alloush, the Authority's Director of Public Relations, told Shafaq News that the reopening 'revives the eastern economic artery of the trade route between Syria and Iraq and strengthens overland connectivity along the Damascus–Bukamal–Qaim–Baghdad corridor, reducing costs and accelerating the flow of goods.'
He added that the move 'will help restore economic activity in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province and Iraq's Al-Anbar, where local populations depend heavily on the exchange of agricultural and livestock products.'
According to Alloush, the crossing 'serves as a cornerstone for reconstruction programs and the systematic supply of raw materials needed for Syrian industry, while also creating opportunities for exporting national products to Iraqi markets.'
Separately, Syria's Ministry of Economy and Industry said the reopening of the Al-Bukamal crossing 'is more than just the passage of trucks—it marks the beginning of a new economic vision between Syria and Iraq, one built on production and integration rather than rentier exchange and consumption.'
A spokesperson from the Ministry indicated to Shafaq News that the Ministry is developing a practical investment roadmap based on real projects, noting that the crossing would serve as a vital route for the flow of raw materials and Syrian goods into Iraqi and Gulf markets.
The crossing has remained closed since December 2024 due to security concerns stemming from clashes in the area and the withdrawal of Syrian government forces.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
15 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Gold slips as dollar firms, markets await Iran response
Shafaq News/ Gold prices edged lower on Monday as investors favoured the dollar following the U.S. attack on key Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, with markets closely watching for Iran's response. Spot gold was down 0.4% at $3,355.40 an ounce, as of 0735 GMT. U.S. gold futures fell 0.5% to $3,370.30. "The U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities resulted in the dollar receiving safe haven buying flows in the currency market," KCM Trade Chief Market Analyst Tim Waterer said. "This USD uptick had pegged gold back and caused an uncharacteristically subdued performance from the precious metal despite risks stemming from the conflict." The dollar rose (.DXY), opens new tab rose 0.3% against its rivals, making gold more expensive for other currency holders. U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday raised the question of a regime change in Iran following U.S. strikes against key military sites over the weekend, as senior officials in his administration warned Tehran against retaliation. Iran vowed to defend itself a day after the U.S. dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs onto the mountain above Iran's Fordow nuclear site. Meanwhile, Iran and Israel continued to trade volleys of missile attacks. An Israeli military spokesperson said Israeli fighter jets had struck military targets in western Iran. Shares slipped in Asia on Monday and oil prices briefly hit five-month highs, but there were no signs of panic selling across markets. The Federal Reserve's latest monetary policy report to Congress, released on Friday, said U.S. inflation remained somewhat elevated and the labor market was solid. On the technical front, spot gold may retest support at $3,348 per ounce, a break below could open the way toward $3,324, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao. Elsewhere, spot silver rose 0.3% to $36.10 per ounce, platinum rose 0.2% at $1,267.76, while palladium gained 1.4% to $1,059.20.
Shafaq News
15 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
UAE slams Israeli aid request over Iran war
Shafaq News/ Israel has requested financial assistance from Gulf and European countries to support its war against Iran, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed, revealed Monday. In a post on X, Gargash criticized what he described as the 'audacity' of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had approached the Gulf States along with Germany, France, and the United Kingdom seeking contributions to fund Israel's military campaign, characterizing the request as emblematic of 'moral bankruptcy.' بلغت وقاحة وزير المالية الإسرائيلي سموتريش حدّ الدعوة لتمويل خليجي (وألماني وفرنسي وبريطاني) لحرب إسرائيل على إيران. دول الخليج أدانت الهجوم ودعت للحل الدبلوماسي حرصًا على استقرار المنطقة وشعوبها.مثل هذا الطرح ليس إلا إفلاسًا أخلاقيًا من متطرف لا يدرك عواقب التصعيد. — د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) June 23, 2025 Condemning the ongoing hostilities, Gargash pushed for a diplomatic solution, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding regional stability and protecting civilian lives. Despite normalizing ties with Israel through the Abraham Accords in September 2020, the United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned Israel's recent military actions against Iran, calling them a ''violation of international law.'' Beyond formal diplomacy, Abu Dhabi and Tehran maintain significant economic and demographic connections, with trade between the UAE and Iran reaching about $6.23 billion in 2024.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Oil surges to five-month high after US hits Iran's key nuclear sites
Shafaq News/ Oil prices jumped on Monday to their highest since January as the United States' weekend move to join Israel in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities stoked supply concerns. Brent crude futures were up $1.52 or 1.97% to $78.53 a barrel as of 0503 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude advanced $1.51 or 2.04% to $75.35. Both contracts jumped by more than 3% earlier in the session to $81.40 and $78.40, respectively, touching five-month highs before giving up some gains. The rise in prices came after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites in strikes over the weekend, joining an Israeli assault in an escalation of conflict in the Middle East as Tehran vowed to defend itself. Iran is OPEC's third-largest crude producer. Market participants expect further price gains amid mounting fears that an Iranian retaliation may include a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global crude supply flows. "The current geopolitical escalation provides the fundamental catalyst for (Brent) prices to traverse higher and potentially spiral towards $100, with $120 per barrel appearing increasingly plausible," said Sugandha Sachdeva, founder of New Delhi-based research firm SS WealthStreet. Iran's Press TV reported that the Iranian parliament had approved a measure to close the strait. Iran has in the past threatened to close the strait but has never followed through. Iran and Israel exchanged air and missile strikes on Monday, as global tensions rose over Tehran's expected response to a U.S. attack on its nuclear facilities. "The risks of damage to oil infrastructure ... have multiplied," said Sparta Commodities senior analyst June Goh. Although there are alternative pipeline routes out of the region, there will still be crude volume that cannot be fully exported out if the Strait of Hormuz becomes inaccessible. Shippers will increasingly stay out of the region, she added. Goldman Sachs said in a Sunday report that Brent could briefly peak at $110 per barrel if oil flows through the critical waterway were halved for a month, and remain down by 10% for the following 11 months. The bank still assumed no significant disruption to oil and natural gas supply, adding global incentives to try and prevent a sustained and very large disruption. Brent has risen 13% since the conflict began on June 13, while WTI has gained around 10%. Given the Strait of Hormuz is indispensable for Iran's own oil exports, which are a vital source of its national revenues, a sustained closure would inflict severe economic damage on Iran itself, making it a double-edged sword, Sachdeva added. Meanwhile, Japan on Monday called for de-escalation of the conflict in Iran, while a South Korean vice industry minister voiced concern over the potential impact of the strikes on the country's trade.
