Iraq's Najaf-to-Iran Flights Resume as Tehran Takes Sanctions Fight to Global Aviation Bodies

Commercial air service between Iraq's central Najaf province and airports in Iran resumed on Monday, according to Iraq's state-run Iraqi News Agency, ending a short but disruptive suspension that had rippled through the region's travel networks.

The restart allows Iraqi Airways, the country's flag carrier, to operate the route again after Najaf and three other Iraqi airports halted flights connected to Tehran. Those suspensions were prompted by concerns that providing aviation services to Iranian-linked carriers could expose Iraqi operators to secondary sanctions from the United States.

The resumption represents a workaround for Baghdad, letting the national carrier sidestep standoffs with international contractors. Those contractors, wary of incurring US penalties, had withdrawn handling services for flights tied to Iran, effectively grounding operations even where Iraqi authorities were willing to keep them running.

The disruption stems from US sanctions on Iranian airlines that took effect on September 23. The measures place foreign airports and companies that service sanctioned Iranian carriers at risk of secondary sanctions, meaning third parties can be penalized for doing business with designated entities even if they are not based in the United States.

The scope of the sanctions has become clear in recent days. Airports in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Oman and the United Arab Emirates have all cancelled flights by Iranian airlines, illustrating how quickly the measures have reshaped regional aviation links. The UAE's decision to bar Iranian carriers was among the most significant, given Dubai's role as a major global transit hub.

Even so, the US measures have not grounded Iranian aviation altogether. According to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, the CEO of Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport said flights to East Asia continue to operate without cancellations, suggesting Iran retains some long-haul connectivity despite the pressure.

Earlier on Monday, Iran escalated its response by filing a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations agency that sets global standards for air travel, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency. The complaint challenges the US aviation sanctions on legal grounds.

Abuzar Shiroudi, head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation, told IRNA that coordinated efforts are underway with Iran's Foreign Ministry to restore flights through legal channels. He said the ICAO had ruled in Iran's favour regarding Tehran's formal protest over the US aviation sanctions.

Shiroudi also said Iran had lodged a complaint with the International Court of Justice in The Hague over attacks on airports, aircraft and radar systems. That case remains under review, and any compensation would depend on the court's final ruling, he added.

Beyond the international legal track, Shiroudi said Iran is seeking explanations from several countries about halted flight routes through diplomatic channels. The remark signals that Tehran is pursuing a dual strategy: contesting the sanctions in multilateral forums while pressing governments bilaterally to restore connections.

The economic stakes for Iraq are considerable. Najaf is home to one of Shia Islam's most important pilgrimage sites, and Iranian religious tourism has long been a vital source of revenue for Iraqi airlines, hotels and local businesses. A prolonged suspension would have threatened that traffic and forced travellers onto slower, more arduous overland routes.

For ordinary passengers, the past week has already been disruptive. With multiple airports in the region cancelling Iranian-linked services, travellers have faced rebooking scrambles and longer journeys, a pattern Al Jazeera reported as the sanctions took hold. The resumption between Najaf and Iran offers only partial relief, since other routes remain suspended.

Iraq has been walking a fine line throughout the episode. Baghdad relies on Washington for security and financial support while maintaining deep economic, religious and cultural ties with its eastern neighbour. Iraqi officials have sought a US exemption from the ban on Iranian flights, reflecting the tension between compliance and national interest.

The ICAO's role in the dispute is likely to draw scrutiny. The agency lacks enforcement powers to compel states to lift sanctions, but its rulings and formal positions carry moral and technical weight. A favourable finding for Iran could strengthen Tehran's argument that the measures violate international aviation agreements, even if it does not immediately restore flights.

The broader confrontation shows how aviation has become a front in the wider US-Iran standoff. Sanctions targeting airlines can achieve strategic pressure without military confrontation, but they also create collateral disruption for third countries whose airports, contractors and carriers become entangled in compliance risks.

For now, the Najaf route's return shows that regional actors can find practical ways to keep some connections open. Whether other suspended routes follow depends on the willingness of foreign contractors to absorb risk, the pace of Iran's legal challenges, and whether Washington grants the kind of exemptions Baghdad and other capitals are seeking.