The Iraqi Ambassador to Iran: Najaf Airport will resume Iranian flights within 24 hours

The Iraqi ambassador to Iran, Yasser Abdel-Zahra, said that Najaf Airport will open its doors to Iranian flights within 24 hours, days after it was announced that it would be closed due to tough US sanctions against Tehran.

The official Iraqi News Agency (INA) quoted the ambassador as saying, “The Iraqi government, led by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, is making continuous efforts to resume flights between the two neighboring countries, Iraq and Iran.”

He continued, "No decision was issued by the government to stop flights with Iran, but foreign ground service companies refrained from providing their services for fear of American sanctions."

He continued his speech by confirming that “Najaf Al-Ashraf Airport will open its doors to Iranian flights within 24 hours.”

The airport administration issued a statement on Friday, in which it said: “It has been decided to stop all incoming and outgoing flights to and from the Islamic Republic of Iran, starting at 02:00 on Friday, corresponding to September 25, 2026, until further notice.”

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority announced, on Thursday, the suspension of Iranian airline flights to and from the country, starting Thursday, in accordance with the US ban imposed on those companies, according to what was reported by the official Emirates News Agency (WAM).