Tehran, April 6, IRNA – Mandali cross border route between Iran and Iraq reopened, Iraqi al-Forat news network said on Monday.

It said that governors-general of Iraqi province of Diale and Iranian province of Kermanshah were present in the reopening ceremony of the cross-border route.

It is the nearest point in common border to Baghdad.

Iran's Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Danaeifar attended the reopening ceremony.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials including director general of border points, Custom director and borderguard commander for the third region all from Iraq were present in the ceremony.

This is the fourth common border point between Iran and Iraq, which will be open for passengers.

Soumar-Mandali border point is between Kermanshah province of Iran and Diale province of Iraq, which had been closed since 1980, the beginning of the US-backed Iraqi invasion of Iran.

Head of Diale province council Mathna al-Tamimi said that reopening the border point will help create 1500 jobs for residents of Diale province, especially in Mandali region.

He put the expense of reconstruction of the border point around 10 million dollars.

By IRNA