The airports of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah in Iraq suspended Iranian airlines’ flights from today, according to two sources who spoke to Reuters. Similar measures had been taken earlier this week by other Iraqi airports.
According to sources and state media, the decision means that flights to and from Iran have been suspended at all four Iraqi airports where Iranian airlines operated: Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.
Iraq’s state news agency reported earlier today that flights by Iranian airlines had also been suspended at Najaf International Airport.
Two other sources told Reuters earlier this week that Iraq had instructed the Civil Aviation Authority to stop Iranian airlines’ flights to Baghdad airport from Wednesday. The sources said the government was discussing diverting the flights from Baghdad to Najaf.
Washington had announced that it would impose sanctions on any airline worldwide conducting business with Iranian airlines after September 23, with the aim of grounding Iran’s entire fleet globally.
The United Arab Emirates, the Middle East’s largest travel hub, also announced yesterday, Thursday, that it was suspending all Iranian airlines’ flights to and from the country until further notice.
Source: CNA
