Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaimaniyah airports have suspended all flights to and from Iran following the United States' announcement of new aviation sanctions targeting global companies that do business with Iranian airlines. This suspension is part of a broader effort by the US, which initiated Operation Economic Outcast in August to isolate Iran economically. Iraqi state media confirmed that flights will no longer operate from the four airports.
Iraq has been a significant destination for Iranian airlines, particularly after Iraqi airlines ceased flights to Iran in February amid the US-Israel conflict. Passengers traveling between Iran and Iraq will now need to undertake a land journey of at least 12 hours, depending on their destination.
Earlier on Friday, Iraq’s state news agency reported the suspension at Najaf international airport. Airport director Hussein Muhanna stated to AFP that “all flights were halted between Iran and Najaf airport following a directive from the prime minister’s office to the governor” of Najaf.
Both Iraq and Iran are predominantly Shia Muslim countries, and flights to and from Najaf are crucial for Iraqi Shia pilgrims visiting Iran’s holy cities and for Iranians traveling to sacred sites in Iraq. In response to the flight suspension, the Iranian Consulate in Najaf posted on X, questioning why the airport, significant to Shia Muslims, was closed to Iran.
An Iraqi employee of an Iranian airline at Najaf airport reported to AFP that Iranian carriers typically operate at least 20 daily flights, but after the suspension, only four flights to other destinations were scheduled on Friday. Other regional countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have also cancelled or restricted flights to Iran in compliance with US aviation sanctions.
Despite warnings from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council against imposing a US flight ban, Iranian airlines are now relying on limited routes to Turkiye, Russia, China, and Armenia to maintain operations. Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu reported from Tehran that while Iran is not entirely cut off from air traffic, its options have significantly diminished.
Reporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera’s Jack Hewson noted that Iraq’s central government has not commented on the flight suspensions, likely to avoid antagonizing pro-Iranian factions in its parliament. He explained that companies providing ground services are hesitant to risk secondary sanctions and exclusion from the international US dollar system. Hewson added that Iraq is in a challenging position, being closely tied to both the US and Iran, and is currently squeezed between the two.