Iraq says gets US exemption for Iranian flights to and from holy city

The United States has granted sanctions exemptions for some Iranian airlines to operate flights to Iraq's holy city of Najaf, the Iraqi prime minister's office said Friday, as Washington targets Iran's aviation sector to choke its economy in the Middle East war.

It said Baghdad had secured "an agreement allowing Iranian airlines, with the exception of Mahan Air, to operate 40 flights daily to and from Najaf", a city sacred to Shia Muslims.

Washington announced sweeping new sanctions targeting Iranian airlines last month as part of its efforts to pressure Tehran's economy, with the two sides still to make peace in the months-long conflict.

Last week, Najaf airport suspended all Iranian flights in cooperation with the sanctions, leaving travellers scrambling for alternative routes.

Several days later, the US granted Iraqi Airways, the national carrier, a waiver to keep its own flights going.

An airport source said the exemption applied to pilgrims, while the transport ministry said the flights would start in October.

In its statement, the Iraqi prime minister's office welcomed a "positive response of the US government" and said the new waiver would "facilitate the movement of pilgrims and travellers, particularly those travelling for medical treatment, religious visits, and tourism".

Early this week, enforcement of the US sanctions appeared mixed, with China and Russia defying them while Turkey was allowing Iran Air but not Mahan Air to fly to Istanbul. The United Arab Emirates, home to a large Iranian community, did stop all flights.

Announcing the sanctions, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he would "shut down" Iranian airlines and that he had sent envoys around the world to pressure countries to isolate Iran.