Iran Air announces continued service to Najaf in Iraq despite US sanctions threat

• Iran Air says flights from Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan to Najaf will continue according to the published schedule.
• The announcement follows a warning from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that Iranian airlines could be shut out of international aviation services from Wednesday.

Iran’s national carrier, Iran Air, has announced that flights from Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan to Najaf in Iraq will continue operating despite the threat of new US sanctions.

According to Iran Air’s public relations department, the flights will operate according to the previously published timetable.

The airline did not indicate that the threat of US secondary sanctions would affect the scheduled services to Najaf.

The announcement comes after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Iranian airlines could effectively be cut off from international aviation services starting Wednesday.

Bessent said foreign companies providing services to Iranian carriers could face secondary sanctions under Washington’s Iran sanctions regime.

He said services including aircraft fueling, landing assistance and ticket sales could expose providers to penalties and potentially prevent them from accessing the US dollar-based financial system.

The US measures are part of Washington’s broader campaign to increase economic pressure on Iran and restrict its access to international financial and commercial networks.

Iran Air’s announcement signals that, for now, the airline intends to maintain its scheduled Najaf services despite the US warning.