The Iraqi government is engaged in direct diplomatic talks with the United States to secure sanctions exemptions for certain Iraqi airports, with the aim of resuming flights to and from Iran on humanitarian grounds, according to an official statement issued on Saturday, 26 September 2026. The request marks a significant diplomatic manoeuvre as Baghdad tries to balance its close ties with Tehran against US pressure.

What Iraq Is Asking For

The media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi stated that the requested waivers are intended to permit flights for medical treatment, education, religious visits, and broader civilian interests. The exemptions are sought in the wake of recent measures by the US Department of the Treasury targeting Iranian airlines operating across the region.

Iraq's statement also stressed that Baghdad is actively working to de-escalate regional tensions, warning that a prolonged crisis would further complicate an already volatile situation. All parties were called upon to resolve disputes through dialogue.

Najaf Airport Suspends Iran Flights

The immediate trigger came after multiple Iraqi airports suspended incoming and outgoing flights to and from Iran following the US sanctions. Most recently, Najaf International Airport in central Iraq halted all such flights until further notice, effective 2 am local time (2300 GMT Thursday), under instructions from the relevant authorities. Airlines and operating companies were instructed not to take any independent operational steps and were told they would be officially notified when services could resume.

US Treasury's Aviation Sanctions on Iran

Earlier this month, the US Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting Iran's aviation sector. The measures suspended authorisations that had allowed non-US airlines to operate US-origin or US-controlled commercial aircraft into Iran. Washington warned that foreign companies providing any form of support — including aircraft, cargo, sales-agent services, procurement, or other assistance — to sanctioned Iranian airlines could face consequences.

US Embassy Handover and Coalition Withdrawal

In a parallel but connected development, the Iraqi government on Thursday formally signed an agreement to take over the US Embassy's diplomatic support centre at Baghdad International Airport. The agreement was signed at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry headquarters by Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom and US Embassy charge d'affaires Steven Fagin.

The handover is part of Iraq's broader effort to finalise the conclusion of the US-led international coalition and the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Iraqi soil, with 30 September set as the firm deadline. Bahr Al-Uloom underscored the significance of the transition, framing it as the beginning of a new phase of Iraq-US partnership focused on economic, development, and energy cooperation.

Notably, the support centre has been a repeated target of drone and rocket attacks this year, following joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran on 28 February and Iran's subsequent retaliatory strikes against Israel and US regional military assets.

Iraq's Sovereignty Milestone on October 1

Prime Minister al-Zaidi has been unequivocal that 30 September marks the hard deadline for ending the coalition's military mission in Iraq and completing troop withdrawal. 1 October, he has stated, will mark a new era in which Iraq exercises full national sovereignty over its territory, free of any foreign military presence. The aviation dispute and the base handover together illustrate the complex diplomatic tightrope Baghdad must walk as it asserts independence while managing relations with both Washington and Tehran.