Iraq Engages US in Direct Talks for Humanitarian Exemptions on Iranian Flights Amid New Sanctions

Iraq is currently holding direct negotiations with the US to secure an exemption for specific Iraqi airports from measures recently enacted by the US Treasury Department against Iranian airlines operating in the region, the government announced on Saturday.

According to the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi, the ongoing discussions seek to restore flights for crucial humanitarian purposes, such as medical treatment travel, educational needs, religious visits, and other civilian necessities. The government emphasized its efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, cautioning that prolonged crises would only further complicate the current situation while urging all involved parties to pursue dialogue and negotiations.

As fighting intensifies in Yemen, ceasefire initiatives stall, and direct US-Iranian military engagements subside, Washington has pivoted toward intensifying economic pressure. This strategy involves secondary sanctions targeting foreign companies engaging in business with Iranian firms, serving as part of a broader US campaign to economically isolate Iran and compel concessions.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Monday that any companies conducting business with Iranian airlines would be excluded from the dollar system. Consequently, Iranian airlines faced bans from neighboring nations including the UAE, Oman, and Iraq, representing the immediate tangible fallout of the policy.

This extended flight restriction threatens to deepen Iran's isolation and aggravate an economic crisis already exacerbated by the US blockade of Iranian seaports. On Friday, Iran expressed severe frustration after the air travel sanctions effectively severed a vital travel route to the holy Shiite city of Najaf in Iraq.

The Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation confirmed the suspension of ticket sales to Najaf as the repercussions of US sanctions reverberated throughout the Middle East. Furthermore, an Iranian consulate in the city voiced strong indignation over the ban via a post on X.

Najaf holds immense religious significance, housing the Shrine of Imam Ali, who was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed. Earlier in June, the coffin of Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was paraded through the city during a funeral detour in Iraq. While flights to Baghdad experienced a suspension on Wednesday, Iranian state media had initially indicated that the route to Najaf would remain operational.