Najaf International Airport on Sunday, 5 October 2025 received its first direct flight from Tehran, marking the formal resumption of air travel between Iraq and Iran after a US-granted waiver cleared the way for Iranian carriers to operate into the airport. The milestone flight was operated by Caspian Airlines and received a traditional water cannon salute on arrival, according to a post on the airport's official Facebook page.

Background: How the Suspension Happened

Najaf International Airport had suspended all flights to and from Iran on 25 September 2025, after the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on Iran's aviation sector. Those sanctions revoked authorisations permitting non-US airlines to fly US-origin or US-controlled commercial aircraft into Iranian territory, effectively grounding cross-border operations at short notice.

The abrupt halt disrupted the movement of pilgrims, medical travellers, and tourists — a significant concern given Najaf's status as one of Shia Islam's holiest cities and a key transit hub for Iranian religious visitors to the shrine of Imam Ali.

The Agreement and the US Waiver

On 2 October 2025, the Iraqi government announced a formal agreement allowing Iranian airlines — with the explicit exception of Mahan Air, which remains under US sanctions — to operate up to 40 flights daily to and from Najaf. A statement from the media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi confirmed that the arrangement was made possible through US government cooperation in granting a specific exemption. The agreement is intended primarily to facilitate the movement of pilgrims, medical patients, and tourists, according to the statement.

Notably, Mahan Air's exclusion underscores that the waiver is targeted and conditional — not a broader rollback of sanctions pressure on Iran's aviation industry.

Iran's Diplomatic Posture amid Continuing Tensions

The flight resumption coincided with pointed diplomatic signals from Tehran. Speaking to ambassadors and representatives of countries and international organisations, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi asserted on Sunday that “There is no military or sanctions-based solution. Only a diplomatic solution can work and can help bring an end to the aggression against Iran.”

Araghchi expressed hope that Washington would choose “wisdom and rationality,” while also warning, according to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, that Iran is “more prepared than before” should the US opt for a military course. He stated that Iran's response would be proportionally stronger if adversaries again chose confrontation.

The Foreign Minister also disclosed that Iran had presented a seven-day proposal during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for resolving disputes and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Under the proposal, the Strait would be reopened within seven days of agreement. Iran, he said, had demonstrated readiness for a diplomatic resolution at UNGA while simultaneously reiterating its right to self-defence.

What This Means for Travellers and the Region

The resumption of flights at Najaf offers immediate relief to a large constituency: Iranian Shia pilgrims who travel frequently to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, as well as patients seeking medical care and tourists. The 40-flights-per-day cap, if fully utilised, represents a substantial restoration of connectivity.

This episode illustrates the outsized human cost that sectoral sanctions can impose even when their primary target is a government — and signals that Washington retains leverage over how those costs are distributed. Whether this waiver holds, and for how long, will depend heavily on the trajectory of broader US-Iran negotiations in the weeks ahead.