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Iran urged Iraq on 1 October 2026 to remove restrictions on flights between the countries, but Iraqi officials said there was no formal ban. A 2 October report described a limited arrangement for Iranian airlines at Najaf, excluding Mahan Air; Baghdad, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah were still reported suspended for Iran flights. Those details describe the situation in reports available by 3 October, not a confirmed current schedule.
Why is Iran asking Iraq to restore flights?
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said restrictions were disrupting normal service by airlines from both countries. It argued that flights support religious visits, tourism, education, medical treatment and trade, and called on Iraq to make decisions to remove the restrictions.
In a statement reproduced by Tasnim, the ministry said: “While respecting the national sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran calls for appropriate decisions to be adopted in confronting the US economic terrorism and its acts of fomenting discord, in order to remove the restrictions and restore normal conditions for flights operated by the airlines of the two countries, in line with the interests and welfare of the two nations.” “US economic terrorism” is Tehran’s political characterization of US sanctions, not a neutral description. Tasnim’s reproduction of the Foreign Ministry statement
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Iranian officials described the effects as severe. The Foreign Ministry said hundreds of thousands of passengers and other travelers had been seriously affected; that is the ministry’s estimate, not an independently audited count. Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad told Al Jazeera that before the disruption there were roughly 25 daily flights from Iran to Najaf and about 15 to Baghdad, and estimated that 12,000 to 13,000 people traveled between the countries on Iranian airlines. These figures are attributed estimates, not verified passenger totals. Al Jazeera’s account of the reported arrangement and ambassador’s estimates
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Did Iraq impose a formal flight ban?
Iraqi officials said they had not. A 29 September parliamentary committee account said the Transport Ministry and Civil Aviation Authority had issued no formal decision banning Iranian aviation. Officials instead described ground-handling companies’ concerns about sanctions exposure, potential financial losses, insurance and operating systems. The account records what officials said; it is not an independent audit of each provider’s conduct. Iraqi Parliament committee account
That distinction matters: flights can be disrupted even without a blanket government decree if companies that provide ground services decline to handle them. Al Jazeera reported that foreign ground-handling firms refused service because of sanctions concerns, and that some passengers faced overland journeys of at least 12 hours. The operational disruption was reported, while Tehran attributed responsibility to US sanctions enforcement and Iraqi officials pointed to providers’ concerns.
Which Iran–Iraq flights were reported to have resumed?
Al Jazeera reported on 2 October that Iraq’s prime minister’s office announced permission for up to 40 daily flights to and from Najaf for Iranian airlines other than Mahan Air. The office said the United States had granted an exemption, but Al Jazeera reported it had not independently verified that claim with US representatives. It also said Najaf–Iran flights had restarted late Monday.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Airport | Reported position in Al Jazeera’s 2 October account | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Najaf | Up to 40 daily flights to and from Najaf for Iranian airlines other than Mahan Air | Arrangement announced by Iraq’s prime minister’s office; Al Jazeera said the US exemption was not verified with US representatives. |
| Baghdad | Iran flights remained suspended | Status as reported on 2 October 2026; not a live schedule check. |
| Erbil | Iran flights remained suspended | Status as reported on 2 October 2026; not a live schedule check. |
| Sulaimaniyah | Iran flights remained suspended | Status as reported on 2 October 2026; not a live schedule check. |
The prime minister’s office, as quoted by Al Jazeera, described air travel as “a bridge of communication between peoples.” The reported Najaf arrangement was limited by airport and airline eligibility; it did not amount to confirmation that normal service had returned across Iraq.
What triggered the sanctions concerns?
Shafaq News reported that Washington imposed penalties on 36 Iran-related targets on 8 September 2026. Its cited report does not provide a complete target-by-target list, so the figure should not be read as a count of airlines or airports. Shafaq News on the sanctions and flight disruption
Al Jazeera connected the operational disruption to sanctions concerns among ground-service companies. It also reported a 42 percent decline in flights to and from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, attributing that figure to Flightradar24, but the accessible account did not state the measurement window. The percentage therefore does not establish the scale or duration of the Iraq-specific disruption.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should passengers check before traveling?
The reports available by 3 October do not establish live schedules or whether the reported exemption and airport arrangements remain in effect. A dated report of resumed service should not be treated as proof that a particular flight is operating.
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- Check the operating airline’s current flight status and booking notices for the exact route and date.
- Confirm with the departure and arrival airports or relevant authorities whether the flight is operating and which ground services are available.
- For an itinerary via Najaf, confirm that the airline is eligible under the reported arrangement; Mahan Air was excluded in the 2 October account.
- Do not assume that a route through Baghdad, Erbil or Sulaimaniyah is available based on the Najaf report. Those airports were still described as suspended for Iran flights in that account.
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