Four airports in Iraq have suspended all air traffic to and from Iran, following the United States’ announcement of new aviation sanctions targeting global firms engaging with Iranian carriers. The move represents a significant escalation in US efforts under Operation Economic Outcast, launched in August to isolate Iran economically.
According to Iraqi state media, the shutdown affects flights departing from Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaimaniyah. Prior to the suspension, Iraq had served as a key destination for Iranian airlines, particularly after Iraqi carriers ceased operations to Iran at the onset of the US-Israel conflict in February.
Passengers traveling between the two neighboring nations must now undertake land journeys lasting at least 12 hours, depending on their final destination. Najaf International Airport, a critical hub for Shia pilgrims, was among the first to report the halt on Friday.
Hussein Muhanna, the airport director, confirmed to AFP that all flights were stopped following a directive from the prime minister’s office. The suspension disrupts travel for thousands of Iraqi Shia Muslims visiting Iranian holy sites and Iranians traveling to Iraq’s sacred shrines.
In response, the Iranian Consulate in Najaf questioned the closure on social media platform X, expressing shock that an airport serving the shrine of the first Imam would be restricted for the world’s largest Shia population.
An Iraqi employee of an Iranian airline reported that while Iranian carriers typically operate approximately 20 daily flights, only four services to non-Iranian destinations remained scheduled on Friday after the suspension took effect.
This development mirrors trends across the region, with nations such as the UAE and Qatar also canceling or restricting flights to enforce US sanctions, despite warnings from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary against adopting American flight bans. Consequently, Iranian airlines are now dependent on a narrowed network of routes through Turkey, Russia, China, and Armenia.
Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Tehran, noted that while Iran is not entirely cut off from air traffic, its connectivity has shrunk considerably.
Analysts suggest Iraq’s central government has remained silent on the matter to avoid provoking pro-Iranian factions within parliament. Jack Hewson, reporting from Baghdad, explained that ground service providers, including those handling refueling and baggage, are unwilling to risk secondary sanctions or exclusion from the US dollar system.
“Iraq is in a very difficult position,” Hewson stated. “It is tied to the US, but it’s also tied to Iran. And at times like these, it’s squeezed between the two.”
Another example of how small airlines get squeezed out when major powers impose sanctions. Iran’s connectivity is shrinking fast, and civilians are paying the price.
Smart move by Baghdad to stay silent publicly while forcing the airports to comply. They’re playing both sides to avoid angering either Washington or Tehran directly.
Wait, twelve hours by land now? That’s a huge inconvenience for something that used to be a short flight. I wonder if there are legal challenges coming.
This is devastating for pilgrims. How can they justify closing an airport near holy shrines just because of geopolitical sanctions? It feels incredibly harsh.
Fascinating how Iraq is caught between two powerful neighbors. The pressure from the US dollar system seems to be the real enforcement mechanism here.