Flights between Iraq’s Najaf and Iran resumed as Tehran protests US curbs

What the report says

Iraqi Airways has restarted commercial flights between Iraq’s Najaf province and airports in Iran, after a temporary suspension at Najaf and three other Iraqi airports tied to concerns over possible US secondary sanctions. The return of service was reported by Iraq’s state-run Iraqi News Agency and comes as regional aviation operators reassess routes linked to Tehran.

The resumption follows US sanctions on Iranian airlines that took effect on September 23, according to the Al Jazeera report. Those measures had led some foreign airports and contractors to pause handling services for flights connected to Iran, contributing to cancellations in several countries, including Azerbaijan, Georgia, Oman and the UAE. Iraqi officials said the disruption was driven by fears of penalties for aviation services involving sanctioned Iranian carriers.

In parallel, Iran said it filed a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization over the US measures, and its civil aviation chief said Tehran is working with the Foreign Ministry to restore flights through legal and diplomatic channels. The article also notes that Iran has raised related issues with the International Court of Justice over attacks on aviation infrastructure. The developments matter because they show how sanctions pressure is affecting regional air links and forcing governments and airlines to balance commercial needs against exposure to US penalties.