US grants Iran airlines exemption for Najaf flights in Iraq
The United States has allowed specific Iranian carriers to resume daily flights between Iraq and the holy city of Najaf as of October 2, 2026.
New agreement details announced
Baghdad secured an arrangement permitting Iranian airlines to operate forty daily flights to and from the Shia sacred site. This permission excludes Mahan Air from the authorized list of carriers under the new rules.
Previous suspension causes issues
Najaf airport recently suspended all Iranian operations following the release of sweeping sanctions targeting Tehran last month. Travelers were forced to find alternative routes after the initial halt in cooperation with US pressure.
Context of ongoing tensions
Washington continues efforts to pressure Iran's economy while peace talks remain stalled between the two nations. The exemption represents a specific carve-out within broader restrictions on Iranian aviation activities.
Reported by one outlet
Only one outlet has published this. Nothing here has been checked against a second report, so read it as that outlet's account and follow the link below for the original.
Reported by
1 independent outlet. Headline as published. Links open the original report.