BAGHDAD — Iraq and Saudi Arabia are preparing to reopen their shared border crossings that were closed after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait 27 years ago. Following the conclusion of monthslong bilateral talks, both countries reached an agreement July 17, during a visit to Riyadh by Interior Minister Qasim al-Araji, to reopen several land crossings along the 505-mile border.

In a sign of support, US envoy Brett McGurk visited the Arar border crossing between Iraq and Saudi Arabia on Aug. 16, and met with Thamer al-Sabhan, Saudi Arabia’a Arab Gulf affairs minister.

This year’s first convoy of Iraqi pilgrims to Mecca arrived in Saudi Arabia on Aug. 7 via the Arar crossing. Since 2003, the Arar crossing had opened just once a year for pilgrims. However, this year, Saudi officials warmly welcomed Iraqi pilgrims at border crossings. Most notably, Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Sultan, governor of the Northern Borders Region, checked on Iraqi pilgrims in person.

Faleh al-Ziadi, governor of Iraq’s Muthanna province, said, “Hopefully, [the Jamima crossing] will be opened to pilgrims first, and later on for trade, after the Eid al-Adha holiday in early September.” He also spoke of “an agreement with the Saudi side regarding the use of the crossing for the movement of people and goods between the two countries.”