Iran bars two Iraqi planes from its airspace

Shafaq News- Najaf/ Tehran

Two planes bound for Iran returned to Najaf International Airport early Sunday after Iranian authorities denied them entry into the country's airspace, a security source told Shafaq News.

Tehran cited security reasons for the decision but provided no further details, the source said.

Earlier this week, Iraqi Airways resumed direct flights from Najaf to Iran, with daily services to Tehran, Mashhad, and Isfahan. According to the airline's management, the first flight departed Najaf International Airport for Tehran following efforts by Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi to restore direct air links between the two neighboring countries.

Najaf, along with other Iraqi airports, suspended flights to and from Iran on Sept. 25 under official instructions, amid the fallout from US Treasury sanctions imposed on Sept. 8 against 36 Iran-linked aviation targets, including 27 airlines.

On Sept. 29, the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) granted Iraqi Airways a special license to operate passenger services between Iraq and Iran through Najaf, subject to specific restrictions.

Read more: Iranian flights resume at Najaf after weeklong suspension