U.S. to issue temporary sanctions waiver for pilgrim flights between Iran and Najaf

According to a participant in the deliberations, the U.S. Treasury Department will grant a short-term waiver to its Iran sanctions regime, allowing Iraqi Airways to fly between Iran and the Shi'ite pilgrimage centre of Najaf for one month, with a permanent exemption under consideration. Iraq halted flights to Iran on Friday to comply with U.S. sanctions, a step that has strained Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s effort to balance ties with Washington and Tehran.

The waiver aims to relieve pressure on the Iraqi government, which has sought an exemption for travel related to medical care, education and pilgrimage. An Iraqi official said talks with the United States are ongoing and flights could resume within two days. The State Department referred inquiries to Treasury, which did not immediately respond. Regional partners such as Turkey and the UAE have also suspended direct flights to Iran amid U.S. pressure.