The Sartak-Pishta border gate between the Kurdistan Region and Iran was reopened by the Iraqi government on Thursday after more than three months closure.

“The Sartak border gate was reopened today. Some trucks from here crossed to the side of the Islamic Republic of Iran to bring cargo,” Hussein Ahmad, director of Garmiyan customs, told Rudaw.

Baghdad closed the border crossing on February 10 and the KRG has been working to open the gate for more than three months. Sartak-Pishta is located about 220km southeast of Erbil.

“Today is only the beginning. Cargo will increase on Friday and Saturday, then it will go back to normal,” Ahmad predicted. 

He credited efforts of Deputy KRG Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and the supervisor of the Garmiyan administration Hamid Salar with securing the opening. Traders also put pressure on officials to see the route re-opened he added.

“This is a gate in a very important area with big trade activities. Fortunately, we got the approval of the Iraqi government,” he said.