{
  "id": 12125799,
  "title": "Iranian flights land in Iraq's Najaf after US sanctions exemption",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/iranian-flights-land-in-iraqs-najaf-after-us-sanctions-exemption",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T09:47:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/05/iranian-flights-land-in-iraqs-najaf-after-us-sanctions-exemption/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Iranian airlines have resumed flights to Iraq's holy city of Najaf, following an exemption from US sanctions. The US granted this exemption, allowing sanctioned carriers to operate 40 daily flights to and from Najaf, excluding Mahan Air. Flights had been halted for about a week due to US sanctions, but Iraqi and Iranian officials confirmed their restart on Sunday. Iraq had not officially announced the ban imposed on September 25, but ground-handling companies had stopped serving the routes due to potential US sanctions. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein praised the US government and Treasury for allowing the resumption of flights, emphasizing the importance of religious freedom and access to holy sites. Najaf is a major pilgrimage destination for Shiite Muslims, housing the Shrine of Imam Ali, the Prophet Mohammed's cousin and son-in-law. The US had targeted third-country companies facilitating Mahan Air, an Iranian airline accused of supporting Iran's military. This ban affected neighboring countries like the UAE, Oman, and Iraq, leading to protests and threats from Iran-aligned factions and politicians. The exemption comes after the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, raising concerns about increased Iranian influence in the country. The PMF, an umbrella group of mostly Shiite paramilitary forces with close ties to Iran, announced the arrest of 45 suspects linked to terrorism and extremist movements during military parades celebrating the US troop departure.",
  "summary": "Iranian airlines have resumed flights to Iraq's Najaf after the US granted an exemption to allow sanctioned carriers, excluding Mahan Air, to operate 40 daily flights to and from the Shiite holy city. Flights from Iran had been halted for about a week due to pressure from US sanctions, but Iraqi and Iranian officials confirmed that they restarted in Najaf on Sunday. Iraq had not announced the ban…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Iranian flights land in Iraq's Najaf after US sanctions exemption",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/iranian-flights-land-in-iraqs-najaf-after-us-sanctions-exemption-12127823",
        "published": "2026-10-05T09:47:47.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}