Iraqi Airways resumes Iran flights through Najaf airport
Shafaq News- Najaf
Iraqi Airways on Monday resumed flights to Iranian airports via Najaf International Airport, while a senior source told Shafaq News that the ban on Iranian airlines remains in effect.
Earlier, a senior source at Najaf International Airport said the airport had received no instructions to resume flights with Iran.
The source said the airport administration had not received any official directive from the Iraqi government in Baghdad authorizing Iranian flights to resume and land at Najaf International Airport.
A source familiar with efforts to restore Iranian flights told Shafaq News that Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, upon arriving in Baghdad, instructed the foreign minister to discuss an exemption for Iraqi airports with US officials.
Read more: Iraq’s top leaders back Najaf exemption, state weapons control
The source said the foreign minister had raised the issue and that talks with Washington had made progress on potentially exempting Najaf International Airport. Under the proposed arrangement, Iraqi Airways would coordinate ground-handling and other services for Iranian flights.
Iraqi and Iranian media outlets, along with social media accounts, circulated reports on Sunday that Najaf International Airport would be exempted from restrictions on Iranian aviation.
The Iraqi government last week decided to prohibit flights between Iraqi and Iranian airports, following sanctions announced by the US Treasury Department on September 8 against 36 targets linked to Iran’s aviation sector, including 27 Iranian airlines. The Treasury said the sanctions targeted entities supporting Iran’s aviation sector.
On Saturday, the Iraqi government said it was holding direct talks with the US administration to seek exemptions for some Iraqi airports from the restrictions and restore flights for medical treatment, education, religious visits and other civilian travel.
On Sunday, a senior Iraqi government source told Shafaq News that Washington had warned Baghdad that sanctions could extend to Iraqi airports or companies providing services to Iranian airlines subject to US measures, including landing, ground handling and refueling.
