ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The commander of the Iraqi border guards on Tuesday said that the country’s borders with Iran have been ‘fully’ secured, adding that they are ready for further cooperation with the neighboring country.

An Iranian security delegation, headed by Iran’s Border Guards Commander Ahmad Ali Goudarzi, arrived at the Bashmakh Border Crossing, 100 km northwest of Sulaimani, on Monday, meeting with Iraqi Border Forces Commander Mohammed Abdulwahab Sukar and discussing the latest security developments between the two sides.

"The shared border areas with Iran have been fully covered and any smuggling or border violations have been prevented," said Sukar in a statement on Tuesday, adding that their forces are ready to cooperate with the Iranian side to ensure border security.

The Iraq-Iran border runs for more than 1,600 kilometers, with its security and movements monitored by border guards on both sides.

Goudarzi hailed the security measures and fortifications carried out by the Iraqi forces as “unprecedented,” according to a statement from the Iraqi border forces.

Iraq and Iran signed a security agreement in 2023 to address Tehran’s concerns over exiled Iranian-Kurdish armed groups which have sought refuge in Iraqi and Kurdistan Region territories for decades. In September 2023, Iraq announced it has completed the disarmament of the group and moved their members away from the borders.

Iran has repeatedly stated that there are still some elements of the agreement that need to be fulfilled, but noted that both Baghdad and Erbil have been very cooperative in its implementation.

Fulfilling its obligations per the pact, the Iraqi National Security Service announced in September that they had shut down 77 military bases of the Kurdish exiled groups near Iran’s border areas, with their forces relocated to six refugee camps, including four camps in Erbil and two camps in Sulaimani.