US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf, source says
The waiver would let Iraqi Airways resume pilgrim flights for one month as Baghdad seeks to ease sanctions pressure and avoid backlash from Shi'ite groups.
- On Monday, the United States Treasury Department granted a one-month sanctions waiver allowing Iraqi Airways to resume flights between Iran and Najaf, facilitating travel for Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims.
- New United States sanctions targeting Iran's aviation sector enforced on September 23 prompted regional airports to suspend services due to fears of secondary penalties, halting international air links.
- Najaf, which hosts the shrine of Imam Ali, draws millions of pilgrims annually; officials feared that barring flights could cause severe domestic backlash against Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's government.
- Following "diligent efforts" by Zaidi, the carrier's flights to Iranian airports resumed Monday, according to the Iraqi News Agency, with the Prime Minister offering safeguards including rigorous screening.
- While the waiver provides temporary relief, Iran continues pursuing legal action against aviation sanctions at the International Court of Justice and the International Civil Aviation Organization.
45 Articles
45 Articles
The US will grant a temporary exemption from sanctions to allow Iraqi Airways to resume flights between Iran and Najaf.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim A-ram = The U.S. Donald Trump administration is expected to approve a temporary waiver of sanctions against Iran for pilgrimage flights between Iran and Iraq...
US sanctions waiver to reopen Iran-Najaf air route for Shiite pilgrims
The US is set to allow a limited sanctions waiver for Iraqi Airways flights carrying Shiite pilgrims between Iran and Najaf. The move offers a temporary religious travel channel as Baghdad seeks broader exemptions from Washington.
The Iraqi ambassador to Iran, Yaser Abdelzahrá Al Hayach, clarified that the suspension did not result from a decision of the Iraqi government, but from the abstention of foreign land service companies for fear of US penalties.
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