News briefing / Najaf

Iraqi Airways prepares October return to Iran, subject to procedures

Initial departures are expected from Najaf, but the announcement gives no confirmed first-flight date.

Iraqi Airways is preparing to restart services to Iran in October, initially from Najaf, according to a 1 October Iraq Business News report citing the Transport Ministry. Regulatory and technical procedures still need to be completed.

The ministry said the airline had received a special exemption for the route. The report does not identify its issuing authority or legal basis, so the announcement should not be read as confirmation of a sanctions waiver.

Iraqi Airways suspended its Iran services in March amid military escalation. The report separately says Iranian carriers have been suspended from flying to Iraq since 23 September. The proposed Iraqi Airways restart does not establish that this separate restriction has ended.

A published timetable and confirmation that the remaining procedures are complete would establish when passengers can use the route. The announcement itself does not confirm that flights have resumed.

Najaf is the specific departure point named in the plan. Its inclusion gives travellers and service providers a location to follow, but does not establish a wider restart from other Iraqi airports or a confirmed operating schedule.

Sources

Iraq Business News · John Lee

Source published or updated: 1 Oct 2026 · Sources checked: 2 Oct 2026.

Updated: 4 October 2026: Added Iraq-specific background from the linked reference records; original reporting dates retained.

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