Iran urges Iraq to lift flight ban amid US sanctions

What Happened

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned what it called Washington's illegal and inhumane extraterritorial enforcement of US sanctions and urged Baghdad to lift remaining flight restrictions and fully restore normal air travel between Iran and Iraq. The call came after flights between Najaf and Iran restarted late Monday, a resumption that the state-run Iraqi News Agency credited to diligent efforts by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. Iraq's ambassador to Iran, Yasser Abdulzahra al-Hajjaj, said Baghdad had not decided to suspend Iranian flights, attributing the interruptions to foreign ground-handling companies that refused to provide services for fear of US sanctions. Flights remained suspended at Baghdad, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah airports, forcing passengers onto land journeys of at least 12 hours and disrupting pilgrim traffic between Shia-majority areas. The suspensions prompted protests across Iraq, including outside Najaf airport and in Nasiriya, Karbala and Amarah, according to Iranian news agency Press TV. The US ban, which took effect on September 23 and targets any company doing business with Iranian airlines, has sharply cut Iran's international air links. Flights to and from Tehran's Imam Khomeini international airport have fallen 42 percent, according to FlightRadar24, with routes to Georgia, Oman and Azerbaijan halted entirely and flights to Dubai suspended since September 23. Flights to China have held steady, while the busiest route, to Turkiye, has fallen by only 19 percent. Iraq's government had sought a US exemption on humanitarian grounds related to medical treatment, education, religious visits, and the interests of civilians.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The standoff over flights illustrates the extraterritorial reach of US sanctions on Iran's aviation sector and the pressure it places on Iraq, a neighbouring state with deep economic and religious ties to Iran, especially Shia pilgrim traffic. Iraq's inability to fully restore flights despite its own statements highlights the compliance risk foreign companies face, while protests in multiple Iraqi cities signal domestic political sensitivity. The episode also tests Iraq's balancing act between Washington and Tehran.

Watch For

Watch whether Iraq obtains a US exemption on humanitarian grounds and whether Baghdad, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah airports resume Iranian flights. Monitor FlightRadar24 data for further shifts in routes, any US enforcement actions against ground-handling companies, and further protests or diplomatic statements from Iran and Iraq.