As per reports, a security advisory has been issued on Thursday (01 January) warning Iraqi travelers against using the Mehran border crossing due to a deteriorating security environment in western Iran near the Iraq border.

• Reports indicate that several access roads leading toward the Mehran crossing are experiencing heightened tension, including the presence of unofficial checkpoints and armed groups exploiting reduced security coverage.
• These groups are reportedly engaging in robbery and kidnapping activities, taking advantage of the diversion of security forces toward protest control operations in nearby urban areas.
• Field information suggests that protests have been ongoing for several days in western and central Iranian cities, accompanied by clashes between protesters and security forces, arson attacks targeting public and institutional buildings, and the establishment of additional security checkpoints.
• Security sources emphasized that Ilam province and the Mehran border area are considered highly sensitive, with the potential for sudden escalation. Iraqi vehicles and buses are assessed to face elevated risk if unrest intensifies, particularly if targeted opportunistically by criminal or hostile groups.