Foreign Airline Flights Resume in Iran After Middle East Conflict

October 14, Tehran (IRNA/AFP) – For the first time since the onset of conflict in the Middle East, a commercial flight operated by a foreign airline has landed in Iran. Iranian state media reported on Thursday that an aircraft from Iraq’s national flag carrier airline arrived in the capital city, Tehran. The flight became possible after the United States granted a special exemption allowing Iraqi airlines to operate flights in Iranian airspace.

Footage broadcast by state television showed the plane, which departed from Najaf in Iraq, safely landing at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran. The flight transported passengers from Najaf to Tehran, with plans for return service also announced. According to the report, the plane landed safely at 6:50 a.m. local time at Imam Khomeini Airport.

Last month, Iraq’s Ministry of Transport announced that the United States had granted an exemption to Iraqi airlines to conduct flights over Iran. Iraqi officials stated that this exemption specifically targets the movement of religious pilgrims traveling between Najaf and Iran. Najaf is an extremely important religious site for the Shia Muslim community.

Meanwhile, as part of an agreement with the United States reached last week, the Iraqi government has permitted Iranian airlines other than Mahan Air to operate daily flights from Najaf. This development comes shortly after stringent US sanctions were imposed. Due to these sanctions, major Iranian airlines canceled international flights, and several countries imposed flight bans on Iranian aircraft.