US warning to Baghdad: Sanctions await any Iraqi airport that receives Iranian aircraft
US warning to Baghdad: Sanctions await any Iraqi airport that receives Iranian aircraft
2026-09-27
Shafaq News – Baghdad
A responsible government source revealed on Sunday that Baghdad received a serious and direct American warning that continuing to receive any Iranian airline at Iraqi airports would expose the airport and the entities and companies that provide services for these flights to American sanctions.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the American side clarified to the Iraqi government that the punitive measures will not be limited to the Iranian airlines covered by the sanctions, but may extend to any entity or airport that provides services or facilitates the operation of those companies’ flights, including landing services, ground handling, refueling and other services related to the flights.”
He added that “this warning put the Iraqi government in front of the option of avoiding exposing Iraqi airports, the aviation sector and the entities working in it to American sanctions, which prompted Baghdad to take measures to stop receiving flights belonging to Iranian airlines at Iraqi airports.”
The source indicated that “the decision was not related to an Iraqi political stance towards air traffic with Iran, but rather came as a result of the legal and economic risks resulting from the American sanctions, especially since continuing to provide services to Iranian aircraft may expose the Iraqi entities dealing with them to punitive measures.”
According to the source, the Iraqi government is simultaneously working to address the repercussions of the decision through negotiation channels with the American side, to obtain exceptions that would allow some flights to continue for specific humanitarian and civilian purposes, including medical, educational, and religious visits, without exposing Iraqi airports or companies operating in them to sanctions.
He concluded by saying that “Baghdad is dealing with the issue as a sovereign, economic and security matter all at once, and that the priority now is to protect Iraqi airports and the aviation sector from any punitive measures that may affect air traffic and the Iraqi economy.”
Earlier today, a well-informed political source revealed that the leaders of the Coordination Framework will hold a meeting this evening, in the presence of Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi, to discuss the decision to ban Iranian aircraft from landing at all Iraqi airports, as well as to discuss the internal political and popular repercussions of the decision.
The Iraqi government announced on Saturday that it would hold direct talks with the US administration to exempt some Iraqi airports from the ban on Iranian flights.
This development comes amid sanctions announced by the US Treasury Department on September 8 against 36 entities linked to the Iranian aviation sector, including 27 airlines.
The positions of travel, tourism and land transport companies in Iraq varied regarding the US sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines, which came into effect last Wednesday.
shafaq.com
