Iran and Iraq open border point for trade under UN 'oil-for-food' relief programme

The Governments of Iran and Iraq have informed the United Nations of a new border crossing point between the two countries that will be used as a trade route for the delivery of humanitarian relief under the world body's "oil-for-food" programme.

The Office of the Iraq Programme, which runs the scheme allowing Baghdad to use a portion of its crude revenues to purchase relief supplies, today announced plans to deploy independent UN inspection agents to the new Khusravi/Mondhariya crossing point in late January or early February. The agents will be responsible for confirming and authenticating the delivery of goods to Iraq under the oil-for-food programme.

The newly designated crossing point, located to the northeast of Baghdad, is the sixth set up under the oil-for-food programme. Others are located on or near Iraq's borders with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria.