Iraq has officially allowed Iranian airline Mahan Air to resume flights to and from Najaf International Airport, following a diplomatic agreement with the United States.
Up to 40 Daily Flights Approved
Under the agreement, Mahan Air has been granted permission to operate up to 40 flights per day to and from Najaf. The approval came after Iraq reached a formal understanding with the US regarding the airline’s operations.
Prime Minister Announces the Agreement
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the deal on Friday, October 2. The agreement eases tensions between the two neighboring countries, tensions that had intensified after the US imposed sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector back in September.
Al-Zaidi said he welcomed the US government’s positive response to Iraq’s diplomatic efforts, noting that Washington had agreed to provide the necessary exemption to allow flights to resume.
“Air travel isn’t just transportation between two airports, it’s a bridge of communication between peoples,” Al-Zaidi said, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Highlights Mutual Respect
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the resumption of Mahan Air flights supports the broader Iraq-US partnership, which he described as being built on mutual respect between the two nations.
Hussein also welcomed the US’s understanding of the importance of respecting people’s right to access holy cities, specifically naming Najaf as a key example of this principle in practice.
Background: US Sanctions Disrupted Iranian Aviation
As previously reported, the US announced sanctions against 36 entities connected to Iran’s aviation sector in early September. In response, numerous airports across various countries began refusing to service Iranian airlines altogether, creating significant disruption to air travel connected to Iran.
Flights were also temporarily suspended at four airports in Iraq as a direct result of these sanctions. Shortly afterward, the Iraqi government initiated direct talks with the United States to request an exemption specifically for flights serving religious pilgrimage routes.
Why Najaf Matters
The result of these negotiations was an exemption granted specifically for Mahan Air flights operating to Najaf, Iraq. Najaf holds particular significance as the primary destination for Iranian flights into Iraq, given its status as one of Shia Islam’s holiest cities.
These flights carry thousands of Iraqi Shia Muslim pilgrims traveling to Iran’s holy cities, as well as Iranian citizens visiting sacred sites in Iraq, making the route a vital religious and cultural connection between the two countries’ Shia Muslim populations.
What This Means for Religious Travel Between Iran and Iraq
This exemption offers significant relief for pilgrims and religious travelers who rely on direct flights between the two countries to visit sacred sites tied to their faith. Given how deeply religious tourism between Iran and Iraq is intertwined with Shia Muslim practice and tradition, the suspension of these flights had likely created considerable hardship for pilgrims planning visits to holy cities on either side of the border.
A Narrow but Significant Diplomatic Opening
While broader US sanctions against Iran’s aviation sector remain firmly in place, this specific exemption for Najaf-bound flights demonstrates that targeted diplomatic negotiations can still carve out practical exceptions, particularly when religious and humanitarian considerations are involved.
Whether this arrangement signals any broader softening in US-Iran aviation relations, or remains a narrowly tailored exception specific to religious travel, will likely become clearer as the situation continues to develop in the coming months.
