Najaf airport to reopen to Iranian airlines in two phases as U.S. grants Iraqi Airways sanctions waiver

Najaf International Airport is expected to reopen to Iranian airlines in two phases, as Kurdistan24 reports today, ending days of uncertainty after flights to Iran were suspended at Iraqi airports.

According to Shafaq News, the United States has approved a sanctions waiver on Iran specifically for Iraqi Airways — initially limited to one month, with the possibility of a permanent extension. The waiver allows Iraq’s state carrier to operate flights between Iran and the holy city of Najaf, a move aimed mainly at Shiite pilgrims, patients seeking medical treatment, and students.

As Reuters writes, Iraq suspended flights to and from Iran on Friday in line with U.S. sanctions — a decision that followed increased pressure from Washington on regional countries to cut air links with Tehran. Turkey and the United Arab Emirates also canceled direct flights with Iran in recent days, while Iranian officials threatened to halt regional air traffic if Iran’s airlines continue to be disrupted.

Iraq’s ambassador to Iran said the Baghdad government had made no decision to suspend Iranian flights — it was foreign ground-service companies that withdrew for fear of secondary U.S. Treasury sanctions. Iraqi Airways has already resumed commercial flights between Najaf and Iranian airports, PressTV reports, citing Iraq’s official news agency, after direct talks between Baghdad and Washington.

The development sparked sharp reactions in Tehran: Hossein Shariatmadari, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader, on Tuesday accused Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi of having “accepted and implemented” U.S. sanctions against Iranian airlines, the Kurdish agency Rudaw reports. On Monday, hundreds of Iraqis protested outside Najaf airport, as well as in Nasiriyah, Karbala and Amarah, against the flight suspension. Iran has meanwhile filed a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) over the U.S. aviation sanctions.