Iraq seeks U.S. airport waivers for Iranian civilian flights
At a Glance
- Iraq is negotiating with the U.S. for humanitarian airport waivers.
- The waivers aim to permit essential medical and educational travel.
- The Civil Aviation Authority recently suspended all Iranian flights nationwide.
Iraq is holding direct talks with the U.S. to secure humanitarian exemptions for domestic airports from the U.S. Treasury restrictions on Iranian airlines. The initiative aims to permit essential civilian travel while de-escalating regional tensions.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- The Prime Minister’s Media Office said, “In light of the measures taken by the U.S. Department of the Treasury concerning flights operated by Iranian airlines to airports in countries across the region, including Iraq, the Iraqi government is engaged in direct dialogue with the U.S. side.”
- The United States has implemented strict regulatory measures restricting flights operated by Iranian airlines to airports across the region.
The media office of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi announced on Saturday that negotiations with Washington aim to secure regulatory waivers for specific Iraqi airports, allowing civilian flights to resume on humanitarian, educational, and medical grounds.
“As the Iraqi government works to de-escalate tensions in the region, it emphasizes that the continuation of crises further complicates the situation,” the statement noted.
The Iraqi government urged all regional actors to engage in diplomacy, calling for negotiations to reach comprehensive solutions that end ongoing conflicts and "serve the interests of the countries and peoples of the region."
The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority has instructed all domestic airports, including those in the Kurdistan Region such as Erbil and Slemani, to suspend all inbound and outbound flights to Iran, barring Iranian aircraft from operating in the country.
Following the directive, a Meraj Airlines Airbus A319 returned to Iran empty after being denied permission to board passengers at Najaf International Airport.
Separately, an Iranian passenger flight to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, was canceled after Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan denied it airspace transit permits.
The flight crew was unable to secure an alternative route, forcing the airline to transfer all stranded passengers to a hotel at Imam Khomeini International Airport.
Despite these widening restrictions, Iran continues to operate flights to nations not complying with the U.S. mandate, including services to Shanghai, Bangkok, and Phuket.
Additionally, Iranian civilian flight routes to Afghanistan, Russia, Armenia, Pakistan, and Belarus remain fully active.
FYI
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced during an interview with CNBC on September 21 that all Iranian airlines would face a global shutdown by September 23 as part of economic pressure on the country.
He warned that any airports or entities providing assistance, refueling, or ticket sales to these aircraft would be immediately excluded from the U.S. dollar financial system.
Following Bessent’s announcement, Baghdad enforced the flight ban on Iranian airlines in compliance with the Washington decision.
Iran operates more than 20 airlines across its public, semi-public, and private sectors, led by its flagship national carrier, Iran Air.
Although the country owns a total fleet of approximately 340 aircraft, decades of international sanctions and severe spare parts shortages have left only about 150 planes actively operational, with roughly 38 belonging to Mahan Air.
Under standard operating conditions, Imam Khomeini International Airport handles between 100 and 150 international flights daily, while total nationwide traffic—including operations at Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Isfahan airports—averages up to 200 daily flights.
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