Syria–Iraq — border talks aim to speed trade and transit

Qutaiba Badawi, head of Syria's General Authority for Ports and Customs, met Omar Adnan Al-Waeli, head of Iraq's Border Ports Authority, in Damascus on 27 September 2026 (SANA). They discussed simplifying transit procedures and removing unnecessary restrictions, processing documents before trucks arrive, electronic data exchange between the two customs services, and the Al-Tanf and Al-Yarubiyah free zones.

SANA reports these as talks; it also lists a special mechanism for hazardous and perishable goods and better passenger halls at shared crossings.

• Pre-arrival document processing
• Electronic link between the two customs services
• Al-Tanf and Al-Yarubiyah free zones discussed

According to Al Jazeera (27 September 2026), the two sides agreed on equal entry for drivers from both countries, an expansion of the Rabia crossing by 100 dunams (100,000 m²) to handle more trucks and tankers, and separate lanes for petrol and fuel-oil tankers and for trucks carrying perishable goods.

Passenger traffic through the Al-Waleed crossing is expected to resume once passport halls and access roads are finished, which Al Jazeera reports is expected early next year.

• Equal entry for Syrian and Iraqi drivers
• Rabia: +100 dunams (100,000 m²)
• Separate lanes for tankers and perishables

The Syrian Petroleum Company has started moving petrol to Iraq by road from the Banias oil terminal through the Al-Tanf crossing. The first batch was 57 tankers, and the plan is to reach about 200 a day under a three-month renewable agreement (SANA, 28 September 2026).

• First batch: 57 tankers
• Target: about 200 tankers a day
• Three-month agreement, renewable

If pre-arrival processing and a customs link come into use, clearance at the border should get quicker. In the meantime, more tanker traffic on the Al-Tanf route means it is worth building extra time into border plans and having documents ready before the truck leaves.

• Prepare documents before dispatch
• Allow extra time at Al-Tanf
• Watch for new procedures before they take effect

MIDTRANS SHIPPING AND SERVICES arranges road freight and customs clearance into Syria and onward, with offices in Damascus, Tartous and Latakia. Tell us your cargo and route and we'll plan the crossing and the paperwork.

• SANA — Syrian–Iraqi talks on facilitating trade and transit through border crossings (Arabic) · 2026-09-27
• Al Jazeera — Iraq and Syria agree on arrangements to ease trade and passenger movement (Arabic) · 2026-09-27
• SANA — Petrol transport to Iraq begins via Banias terminal and Al-Tanf crossing (Arabic) · 2026-09-28