US lifts sanctions on Iraqi airline linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards
Fly Baghdad was sanctioned in January 2024 over alleged links to Iran's IRGC-Quds Force, accusations the airline had denied.
On August 3, the United States lifted sanctions against Iraq's Fly Baghdad airline, which had been previously designated for alleged links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The decision was announced on the US Treasury's website, where sanctions were lifted on the airline, two of its aircraft, and a man previously identified as the company's owner, Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani.
The US Treasury lifted sanctions after Fly Baghdad Airlines underwent an administrative reconsideration process, during which the airline reportedly demonstrated significant changes to its operations, rendering its listing unwarranted. The official from the Treasury did not indicate any shift in US policy toward Iran, the IRGC-Quds Force, or any designated terrorist organization, nor the individuals supporting or acting on behalf of these entities.
The sanctions removal is not related to the ongoing war between the United States and Iran, which began in late February. Since the start of the conflict, Washington has targeted Iran's top leadership and attempted to cripple its economy through sanctions and military strikes. In response, Tehran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz and targeted US allies in the region.
Negotiations to resolve the war have been intermittent, with the status of Iran's nuclear program and the potential imposition of tolls on the Strait serving as key sticking points in the dialogue.
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