Photo taken on Oct. 16, 2014 shows a shuttle bus at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq. (Xinhua/Shang Le/IANS File Photo)
Baghdad, September 26 (IANS): The Iraqi government is in direct dialogue with the United States to secure sanctions exemptions for certain Iraqi airports to resume flights with Iran on humanitarian grounds, according to an official statement on Saturday.
The media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said the requested waivers aim to allow flights for medical treatment, education, religious visits, and civilian interests following recent US Department of the Treasury measures against Iranian airlines operating in the region.
The statement stressed that Iraq is actively working to de-escalate regional tensions, warned that prolonged crisis further complicate the situation, and called on all parties to resolve conflicts through dialogue, Xinhua news agency reported.
The move came after several Iraqi airports suspended incoming and outgoing flights to and from Iran recently, following US sanctions, according to Iraqi media.
Earlier this month, the US Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting Iran's aviation sector, suspending authorisations that allowed non-US airlines to fly US-origin or US-controlled commercial aircraft into Iran, warning that foreign companies assisting sanctioned Iranian airlines, including through aircraft, cargo, sales-agent, procurement, or other support, could face consequences.
On Friday, Najaf International Airport in central Iraq suspended all incoming and outgoing flights to and from Iran until further notice, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.
The suspension took effect at 2 am local time (2300 GMT Thursday) under official instructions from relevant authorities, INA cited an airport administration statement as saying.
Airlines and relevant operating companies were told not to take any operational measures regarding the suspended flights, and will be officially notified of any subsequent instructions on resuming services, it said.
The Iraqi government on Thursday officially signed an agreement to take over the US Embassy's diplomatic support centre at Baghdad International Airport, according to an Iraqi Foreign Ministry statement.
The agreement was signed at the ministry headquarters by Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom and charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Iraq Steven Fagin.
The handover is part of the Iraqi government's efforts to finalise procedures regarding the conclusion of the US-led international coalition and the foreign military presence in Iraq, in accordance with the timeline set for September 30 this year, it said.
Bahr Al-Uloom stressed the importance of the move in transitioning bilateral ties to a new phase of partnership, particularly in the economic, development, and energy sectors.
The facility has been repeatedly targeted by drone and rocket attacks this year, following joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran on February 28 and Iran's subsequent retaliatory salvos against Israel and US regional military assets.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has emphasised that September 30 is the firm deadline for ending the US-led coalition's military mission in Iraq and completing its troop withdrawal and that October 1 will mark a new era for Iraq, as the country becomes free of foreign military presence and exercises full national sovereignty over its territory.
