Kolbar trade has resumed at the Haji Omaran border crossing after nearly three months of suspension. Hundreds of couriers now cross the border daily under new rules. The reopening restores an important income source for border communities in Eastern Kurdistan.
For almost three months, mountain routes linking the Kurdistan Region with western Iran stayed closed. This halt disrupted a key economic lifeline for many Kurdish families. The informal cross-border courier trade, known as “Kolbari,” has now restarted at the Haji Omaran International Border Crossing. It provides work again for communities in Rojhelat, or Eastern Kurdistan in northwest Iran.
Abdulwahab Mahmoud, director of the Haji Omaran sub-district, said hundreds of couriers have already returned. He explained that workers now use tourist routes with passports and special ID cards to transport goods.
Authorities introduced new regulations to control the activity. Officials allow up to 400 Kolbars per day. Each courier can carry a maximum of 12 kilograms of goods into Iran. Only workers with official Iranian permits and approved identification cards can take part.
Despite the limits, many people of different ages returned to the work. Reports show that both young and elderly residents now walk the difficult mountain paths. They carry heavy loads across steep and dangerous terrain to earn a living.
The trade stopped earlier this year due to regional tensions. Iran closed the crossing because of security concerns linked to wider conflicts involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The closure caused severe economic damage in border areas and halted a program that had issued more than 10,000 official Kolbar cards.
Kolbari remains a survival job for many Kurdish families. Workers transport goods such as electronics, textiles, appliances, and tires across unofficial routes. The job often involves extreme physical effort and high risk.
Human rights groups have long raised concerns about the dangers. Reports document deaths and injuries caused by gunfire, landmines, avalanches, and falls. Advocacy organizations say hundreds of Kolbars have died over the past decade, while many more have been injured.
Authorities in Iran often describe Kolbari as smuggling. However, Kurdish rights groups argue that poverty and unemployment drive people into this work.
The reopening of Haji Omaran offers temporary relief for many families. Still, it highlights ongoing economic hardship and the lack of stable job opportunities in border regions.
