Iran flights to Najaf resume after US exemption

Iranian airlines resumed flights to Iraq's Najaf on Sunday after the United States granted Baghdad an exemption allowing sanctioned Iranian carriers to serve the city.

Najaf airport official Hussein Muhanna said flights between Iraq and Iran had resumed through Najaf International Airport. The first flight was operated by Caspian Airlines and landed at 5:15 pm local time.

On Friday, the Iraqi government said it had secured an agreement with the United States allowing Iranian airlines, except Mahan Air, to operate 40 daily flights to and from Najaf.

Iraq enforced the US ban on Iranian carriers last month, disrupting travellers at Najaf airport, a major hub for Iranian flights and their main destination in Iraq.

Iranian airlines mainly carry Shia pilgrims to Iran's holy cities or Iranians visiting sacred sites in Iraq. They also serve Iraqi students studying in Iran and patients seeking medical treatment there.

The United States has also granted Iraqi Airways a waiver to fly between Najaf and Iran, with those flights expected to start this month. Washington's sanctions on Iranian airlines are part of its pressure on Tehran's economy during the continuing conflict between the two countries.