Ammar al-Hakim urges Iraq to fully restore Iranian flights to all airports

Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the National Wisdom Movement, a Shiite party in Iraq’s governing framework, has called on the government to restore full access for Iranian airlines to all Iraqi airports, Iranian media report, as cited by Al Jazeera.

On Friday, Iraq announced it had agreed to allow Iranian airlines, except Mahan Air, to operate up to 40 flights a day to and from Najaf International Airport, saying the United States had granted a sanctions exemption for the Iranian flights.

According to Iranian media, al-Hakim said the partial restoration of access to Najaf “proves that dialogue and constructive diplomacy can resolve outstanding issues,” but he urged Iraq’s civil aviation authorities to reopen all of the country’s airports to flights between the two countries.

The issue of Iranian flights has become a point of tension between Washington and Baghdad, as the U.S. seeks to isolate Iran economically through sanctions while Iraq seeks to maintain ties with its eastern neighbor.