🔶 Preventing the Iranian national team plane from landing in Basra.
Following American pressure to limit economic and transportation relations with Iran, Iraq closed the Mandali border crossing with Iran and prevented the plane carrying the Iranian soccer team from landing at Basra airport.
These measures were taken following the request of the US Treasury Department to Baghdad to close the border crossings with Iran, with the exception of two crossings, and also the threat of imposing sanctions against the companies and service centers of Iran's airlines.
According to Iraq's official news agency (INA), the head of the army division, Omar al-Wai, head of the border crossing organization in Iraq, announced the closure of the Mandali border crossing with Iran and the reopening of the al-Shayib crossing. He announced that the reason for this change is the maintenance operation.
This decision was made after Fouad Hussein, Iraq's foreign minister, said that the US Treasury had asked Baghdad to close all but two border crossings with Iran. Washington is trying to increase economic pressure on Tehran.