Iraq blocks Iranian football team’s plane from landing in Basra over US sanctions

The Iranian national football team was forced to change its travel route to Iraq after Iraqi authorities denied its plane permission to land at Basra airport, in compliance with US sanctions on Iranian airlines. The aircraft returned to Iran and landed at Abadan airport, with the team set to continue to Basra by road.

Reuters quoted officials at Basra airport as saying the landing ban was issued by Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority to avoid violating US sanctions. An official at the Iranian consulate in Basra confirmed the team would travel to the city by land after the plane’s return to Iran.

An Iraqi civil aviation official explained that Baghdad could not risk breaching US sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines, especially given warnings that extend to entities and airports providing services to these carriers.

The incident comes as Washington tightens restrictions on Iran’s aviation sector, having announced sanctions on any global companies dealing with Iranian airlines after September 23. The move aims to prevent Iran’s entire civilian fleet from operating internationally.

In September, Iraq suspended Iranian flights to Baghdad airport following US threats of secondary sanctions on airports and service providers working with Iranian airlines.

Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that airports servicing Iranian airlines could face sanctions, including exclusion from the dollar system, as part of Washington’s efforts to pressure Iran’s transport sector and foreign entities supporting sanctioned airlines.