US Considers Sanctions Waiver for Iran-Najaf Flights to Help Religious Pilgrims

Protesters gather outside Najaf International Airport as restrictions on flights between Iran and Iraq affect travel links. Photo credit: Unsplash.

WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD — The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions programme that could allow flights between Iran and Iraq’s holy city of Najaf, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

The proposed exemption would focus on flights carrying Shiite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq. According to the source cited by Reuters, the U.S. Treasury Department could allow Iraqi Airways to operate flights to and from Najaf for an initial period of one month. A longer-term waiver could potentially follow, although no final decision has been announced.

The development comes after U.S. sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector disrupted air links between the two neighbouring countries. Several Iraqi airports, including Najaf, had suspended flights to and from Iran following the implementation of the sanctions.

Najaf is an important destination for Shiite pilgrims and has traditionally been a major hub for travel between Iran and Iraq. The disruption has also affected other categories of travellers, including patients seeking medical treatment and students travelling between the two countries.

Iraq had already opened direct discussions with Washington seeking exemptions from the sanctions. Baghdad said such exemptions were needed on humanitarian grounds, including medical treatment, education, religious visits and other civilian purposes.

The possible Najaf waiver would therefore provide a limited exception to the broader U.S. sanctions pressure on Iranian airlines. However, the reported proposal is still under consideration, and its exact terms and implementation date have not yet been confirmed.

The situation highlights the difficulty Iraq faces in maintaining its transport and humanitarian links with Iran while complying with U.S. sanctions. Any final waiver could restore at least part of the air connectivity between the two countries, particularly for religious travel to Najaf.