US grants Iraq’s national airline sanctions waiver for Iran flights via Najaf

The United States has granted Iraqi Airways an exemption from sanctions imposed on Iran, allowing the airline to operate flights between Iraq and Iran to transport Iranian visitors to and from the city of Najaf, according to an Iraqi official cited by Agence France-Presse. The Iraqi Ministry of Transport confirmed that the government had succeeded in securing the waiver.

The official said: "Iraqi Airways has received an exemption, but with conditions, to operate flights between Najaf and Iran," following the closure of Iraqi airports to Iranian airlines in anticipation of the latest US sanctions on Iran.

At Najaf airport, management was notified that Iraqi Airways flights to Iran would resume, but a source at the airport south of Baghdad clarified that "no flight schedules have been set yet."

The move comes after airports in Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah were closed to Iranian flights, following a similar measure at Baghdad International Airport, in response to new US sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed last Monday that Iranian airlines would face broad restrictions on their operations worldwide starting September 23, warning that service providers dealing with them could face secondary sanctions.

Several countries subsequently announced the suspension of Iranian flights, including the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.