Story perspectives

U.S. weighs one-month sanctions waiver for Iraqi Airways pilgrim flights

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 11:09 PM UTC · How we work

Center

Secondary sanctions block flights

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is weighing a one-month sanctions waiver to let Iraqi Airways operate pilgrim flights between Najaf and Iran.
The waiver is a narrow, temporary exception while broader secondary sanctions tighten pressure on Iranian airlines and regional airports.
Iraq’s authority halted Iranian flights to Baghdad Airport on 22 September after U.S. sanctions warning.
Secondary sanctions have forced the UAE, Oman, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan to block Iranian flights.

Left

Humanitarian Waiver Defense

The U.S. administration is weighing a one-month waiver of sanctions so Iraqi Airways can operate pilgrim flights between Najaf, Iraq, and Iran.
Officials present the waiver as a humanitarian response to sanctions that have blocked worshippers from reaching Najaf, the Shiite holy city.
Iran’s ICAO complaint was upheld, with the organization ruling in its favour.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned firms dealing with Iranian airlines risk dollar-system exclusion.

Blindspot

Iran lodged a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization over the U.S. sanctions, and the ICAO ruled in Iran’s favour, according to Iran’s civil aviation officials.
Within this story’s sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (later the Iran Sanctions Act) first authorized secondary penalties on firms supporting Iranian aviation, a tool that redirected more than $2 billion of U.S. airline revenue by 2000. President Trump’s one-month waiver for Iraqi Airways echoes that precedent, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warns renewed pressure could again reshape regional air links.

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Secondary sanctions block flights

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is weighing a one-month sanctions waiver to let Iraqi Airways operate pilgrim flights between Najaf and Iran.
The waiver is a narrow, temporary exception while broader secondary sanctions tighten pressure on Iranian airlines and regional airports.
Iraq’s authority halted Iranian flights to Baghdad Airport on 22 September after U.S. sanctions warning.
Secondary sanctions have forced the UAE, Oman, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan to block Iranian flights.

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