Iraq announced on Friday that Iranian airlines will be permitted to operate up to 40 flights a day to and from Najaf International Airport, with sanctioned carrier Mahan Air excluded from the arrangement, according to the Iraqi News Agency.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi welcomed what he described as a positive response from the US government to Baghdad’s efforts to secure the necessary exemption.
Zaidi said the agreement would help ease travel between Iraq and Iran, particularly for religious pilgrims, patients and tourists.
“Air travel does not merely represent transportation between two airports, but rather a bridge of communication between peoples,” he said.
He added that Iraq conducts its foreign relations according to the interests of the Iraqi people and seeks balanced and constructive relations with other countries.
The announcement follows an appeal from Iran on Thursday for Iraq to ease restrictions on flights between the two countries. Tehran said the restrictions had created difficulties for pilgrims, patients, students and businesspeople, attributing the measures to US sanctions.
Under the new arrangement, Mahan Air will remain excluded. The privately operated Iranian airline has been under US sanctions since 2011.
The US Treasury designated Mahan Air over allegations that it provided financial, material and technological support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF).