Iraq says gets US exemption for Iranian flights to and from holy city

The United States has granted sanctions exemptions for Iranian airlines to operate flights to Iraq's holy city of Najaf, the Iraqi prime minister's office said Friday, despite Washington targeting Iran's aviation sector to choke its economy in the Middle East war.

It said Baghdad had secured "an agreement allowing Iranian airlines, with the exception of Mahan Air, to operate 40 flights daily to and from Najaf", a city sacred to Shia Muslims.