Iraq in talks with US to resume Iranian flights on humanitarian grounds

Iraq is engaging in direct negotiations with the United States in an effort to exempt certain Iraqi airports from sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department on Iranian airlines, according to a government statement released on Saturday. The talks aim to resume flights for humanitarian purposes, such as medical treatment, education, religious visits, and other civilian interests.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi's office emphasized the desire to ease tensions in the region, warning that ongoing crises could further complicate the situation. The government urged all parties to engage in dialogue and negotiations to resolve current crises and conflicts in a manner that serves the interests of countries and peoples across the Middle East.

The escalating fighting in Yemen, along with the stalled ceasefire efforts and easing of direct US-Iranian hostilities, have led Washington to tighten economic pressure through secondary sanctions on foreign companies that engage in business with Iranian firms. These sanctions are part of the US campaign to isolate Iran economically and compel concessions in the ongoing conflict.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday that companies dealing with Iranian airlines would be "knocked out of the dollar system." Iranian airlines were barred from neighboring countries, including the UAE, Oman, and Iraq, in response to the new US sanctions, marking the first significant impact of the move. A prolonged flight ban could exacerbate Iran's isolation and intensify an economic crisis already exacerbated by a US blockade of its seaports.

Iran responded angrily on Friday following the imposition of US sanctions on air travel, which halted flights to the holy Shiite city of Najaf in Iraq. The Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation announced the suspension of ticket sales to Najaf, as the effects of the US sanctions spread across the Middle East. An Iranian consulate in Najaf expressed outrage at the ban, stating on X: "Najaf International Airport, the shrine of the first Imam of the Shiites, and the capital of their last Imam, is closed to the largest Shiite country in the world?!"