Iraq seeks US exemptions for Iranian flights on humanitarian grounds

Iraq is engaged in direct diplomatic negotiations with the United States to secure vital exemptions from sweeping American economic measures that have severed air links between the two neighbouring nations. The official push comes as regional hubs grapple with severe travel disruptions following aggressive new enforcement actions by Washington targeting Iran's aviation infrastructure. The diplomatic intervention was confirmed in an official statement released on Saturday by the media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.

According to the government, Baghdad is seeking waivers to permit specific flight operations into designated Iraqi airports on urgent humanitarian grounds. These include facilitating travel for medical patients, university students, and religious pilgrims moving between the two Shiite-majority nations, alongside the broader interests of ordinary civilians. The statement urged all involved parties to pursue constructive dialogue to resolve current conflicts.

Media additions

Iraq seeks humanitarian exemption for Iranian flights in direct talks with US - Türkiye Today

"As the Iraqi government works to de-escalate tensions in the region, it emphasizes that the continuation of crises further complicates the situation,"

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's media office, via Facebook

The restrictions took effect after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that operations involving Iranian airlines would be brought to a halt worldwide. As part of Washington's broader pressure campaign, the Treasury Department targeted entities tied to Iran's aviation sector, warning that any foreign company or airport providing fuel, ground-handling services, or ticket sales on behalf of sanctioned carriers would face severe penalties, including potential exclusion from the US financial system. The measures are part of President Donald Trump's "Operation Economic Outcast" to squeeze Tehran's economy.

The impact on the ground has been immediate and disruptive. Airports across Iraq—including major facilities in Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaimaniyah—enforced the measures as ground-handling companies stopped servicing Iran-linked flights, bringing civilian air traffic to a standstill. Najaf International Airport, a critical pilgrimage destination for Shiite Muslims travelling to and from sacred shrines such as the Imam Ali shrine, suspended flights until further notice. The closure drew sharp protests, including an Iranian consulate post on X questioning the closure of the route to the city for Iranian pilgrims.

Passengers who relied on the aviation link have been forced onto gruelling land journeys exceeding 12 hours. Several travellers recounted scrambling for alternatives, expressing acute anxiety over potential interruptions to ongoing medical therapies or educational programmes across the border. Meanwhile, demonstrations organised by Iran-allied militias materialised on the streets of Baghdad in opposition to the sudden flight suspensions, and scholars and students from the Hawza of Najaf held a vigil against the halting of Iranian flights.

The crisis underscores the delicate geopolitical balancing act facing Iraq, which maintains close ties with both its western-backed partner in Washington and its powerful eastern neighbour. Analysts note that Baghdad is squeezed between competing pressures, suffering direct economic and logistical fallout from broader hostilities. Regional neighbours such as the United Arab Emirates and Oman have also enforced compliance with the aviation restrictions.

As of Saturday, no formal agreement or waiver granting relief to the shuttered Iraqi airports has been announced by Washington or Baghdad, leaving thousands of stranded pilgrims, students, and patients waiting for a breakthrough. Iraqi officials remain in contact with Iranian authorities, while Iranian ambassador to Iraq Mohammad Kazem al-Sadegh indicated that a new decision on flights is likely to be announced soon.