Iraq Grants US Exemption for 40 Daily Iranian Flights to Najaf, Excluding Mahan Air, After Week-Long Suspension

The United States granted sanctions exemptions allowing Iranian airlines, excluding Mahan Air, to operate up to 40 daily flights to and from Iraq's holy city of Najaf, the Iraqi prime minister's office announced on October 2, 2026, according to Arab News, Al Jazeera, and multiple outlets. The agreement follows Iraq's suspension of flights to and from Iran on September 27, 2026, under pressure from sweeping US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines announced in September as part of Washington's efforts to pressure Tehran's economy during the ongoing Iran war. Iraq's Transport Ministry said the exemption will allow Iraqi Airways to restart services once regulatory and technical requirements have been completed, with a source telling Reuters the exemption was issued by the US Treasury and will remain valid for one month. Iran's Foreign Ministry on October 1 had urged Iraq to lift all flight restrictions, condemning Washington's extraterritorial enforcement of sanctions as illegal and contrary to state sovereignty, according to Iran Wire. The exemption excludes Mahan Air, which the US has long accused of transporting weapons and sanctioned personnel for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The flight suspension left hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, medical patients, students, and business professionals stranded, prompting protests outside Najaf International Airport on September 28. The agreement imposes passenger screening and information sharing, with Iraq proposing measures to prevent the flights from transporting weapons, sanctioned individuals, or illicit funds, according to Aviation Business Middle East. The one-month duration leaves the arrangement precarious, while Tehran warned that if Iran is denied flights, no country in the region would have them either.

Sources

Arab News, "Iraq says it got US exemption for Iranian flights to and from holy city," October 2, 2026, arabnews.com; Al Jazeera, "Iran urges Iraq to lift flight ban amid US sanctions," October 2, 2026, aljazeera.com; Iran Wire, "Iran Demands End to Flight Restrictions Linked to US Sanctions with Iraq," October 2, 2026, iranwire.com; Aviation Business Middle East, "Iraqi Airways Secures Waiver To Resume Iran Flights," September 29, 2026, aviationbusinessme.com; The National, "Iraqi Airways to resume Iran flights amid US sanctions pressure," September 29, 2026, thenationalnews.com