Iraqi Airways to resume Iran flights in October after securing 'special exemption'

Iraqi ​Airways is preparing to resume ‌flights ​to Iran in October, Iraq's transport ministry said on Tuesday, following a suspension of flights amid ‌US sanctions restricting services to Iranian airlines.

The ministry said Iraq had secured a special exemption allowing Iraqi Airways to operate services to Iran. Iraq halted flights ‌to and from Iran on Friday in line with US sanctions, ‌and the government had sought exemptions for travel related to pilgrimage, medical treatment and education.

The transport ministry said services next month would initially operate from the Shi'ite holy ⁠city of ​Najaf once regulatory ⁠and technical requirements were completed. A source in the Iraqi transport ministry said the exemption was ⁠provided by the US Treasury and would run for one month. The number ​of allowed flights has not yet been determined, the source said.

The ⁠announcement comes after Reuters reported on Monday that the Trump administration was set to ⁠grant ​a one-month US Treasury waiver allowing Iraqi Airways to fly between Iran and Najaf, with a more permanent exemption potentially following. Baghdad had offered ⁠safeguards including passenger screening and information sharing, as well as measures to ⁠prevent the flights being ⁠used to transport weapons, sanctioned individuals or illicit money, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.