A spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic said Iraq did not notify Iran in advance about closing the Chazabeh border crossing.

Ali Zeynivand said the two countries have a memorandum of understanding and that the closure of a border for a prolonged period should be communicated in advance, but this coordination regarding Chazabeh was not carried out.

He added that the matter is under follow-up and that closing the border further would be more harmful to Iraqi merchants.

The Chazabeh crossing, which is called Al-Shib in Iraq, was closed to the movement of people and goods from early this morning.

A government source in Iraq told Al Jazeera that several other border crossings would also be gradually closed in the coming days.

A government source told Al-Ain Al-Ikhbariya that Ali Faleh Al-Zaydi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, received a letter from the U.S. Treasury Department asking for the closure of the border with Iran.

Iraq did not accept a full closure, and the United States proposed that only two crossings remain open.