Najaf Airport to Resume Flights With Iran Starting Sunday

Iraq's Najaf International Airport is set to resume flight connections with Iran starting Sunday, with three evening flights scheduled initially, according to Anadolu Agency.

The resumption follows an agreement between the two countries permitting up to 40 daily flights between Iraqi and Iranian airports. Notably, the agreement excludes Mahan Air, an Iranian carrier that has faced sanctions in connection with its alleged role in supporting groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States.

A step toward restored air links

Najaf, home to significant religious sites that draw large numbers of Iranian pilgrims each year, has long been a key destination for air travel between Iraq and Iran. The resumption of flights is likely to ease travel for pilgrims and other travelers moving between the two countries, particularly around religious occasions that draw substantial cross-border visitation.

The exclusion of Mahan Air from the new arrangement reflects the continued sensitivity surrounding certain Iranian carriers in the context of international sanctions regimes, even as broader air travel between Iraq and Iran moves to normalize.

Authorities have not detailed how quickly flight frequency will scale up toward the full 40-flights-per-day ceiling permitted under the agreement, though the initial schedule of three evening flights marks a formal restart of air links between Najaf and Iranian cities.