Asian Defense Observer

Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced that, according to a report from the Pakistan Mission in Baghdad, the Al-Sheeb border crossing between Iraq and Iran has been closed since 21 October 2026, suspending the movement of passengers, vehicles and commercial traffic. Al-Sheeb is the only authorised land route for Pakistani pilgrims travelling to Iraq via Iran. No alternative land route can be used without prior approval from the Iraqi government. Currently, entry into Iraq is possible only through Baghdad and Najaf airports. All Ziyarat group organisers have been instructed not to send pilgrims towards the Al-Sheeb border crossing and to inform travellers of the situation in a timely manner.

Monitoring: This corridor is widely used by illegal migrants seeking to reach Europe. The same route is exploited by terrorist groups to facilitate the movement of foreign fighters into Afghanistan, where they join terrorist organisations operating in the region. A 2025 UN Security Council Monitoring Team report identifies recruitment and transit routes through Iran, including Orumiyeh, Mashhad and Zahedan, used by ISKP recruits to enter Afghanistan’s Herat and Nimroz provinces. The report also identifies Central Asian nationals, particularly Tajiks, among those recruited.