Najaf Airport Halts Iranian Flights Until Further Notice

Najaf airport said inbound and outbound Iranian flights were cancelled from 2 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026 (3 Mehr 1405), and that it has stopped accepting Iranian flights until further notice. According to Khabar Online, citing Fars, Baghdad airport had dropped out of Iran's flight network a few days earlier following US sanctions on Iran's aviation sector, and Iran's Civil Aviation Organization had shifted Baghdad-bound flights to Najaf. Donya-e-Eqtesad also reported the halt at Najaf on Friday morning.

A manager of a pilgrimage travel agency whose group was due to fly home on Friday said the caravans would have to return to Iran overland, even though some airlines were still listed on Tehran's departure board for Najaf. Najaf is the second Iraqi airport this week, after Baghdad, to close to Iranian flights, and the route is one of the busiest foreign routes for Iranian carriers.