Iranian airlines set to resume flights to Najaf
Iranian airlines have been asked to submit requests to resume flights to Iraq’s Najaf International Airport via email, following coordination with the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Transport and Aviation.
Under the arrangements, the necessary instructions will be issued to Najaf airport authorities to facilitate the resumption of flights.
Flights between Iran and Najaf had been suspended amid US sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation industry. Najaf International Airport had previously announced that inbound and outbound flights to Iran would be suspended from September 25 until further notice. Both sides had since been working to restore air links between the two countries.
According to Tasnim, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Thursday that, following efforts by the prime minister, an agreement had been reached for Iranian airlines to operate 40 round-trip flights to Najaf International Airport each day.
The Iraqi prime minister said aviation was more than simply transporting passengers between two airports, describing it as a bridge connecting peoples.
“Among the passengers are patients waiting to reach their places of treatment, pilgrims seeking to visit the holy shrines, and families eager to meet their loved ones without difficulty,” he said, adding that the sector was also vital to tourism, the economy and social ties.
The statement added that Iraq’s foreign relations are based on the interests of its people and its commitment to establishing balanced and positive relations with different nations.
It said the approach seeks to harness such ties to improve people’s lives and strengthen lasting connections between nations.