⚡️🇮🇶🇺🇸🇮🇷 — Iraqi MP Abu Turab al-Tamimi said Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi obtained US «blessing» during his latest visit to the United States to nominate a candidate for deputy prime minister, after an earlier US veto against the candidate was reportedly lifted under guarantees pledged by Zaidi. Tamimi said the remaining cabinet appointments would be finalized after the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

Tamimi criticized Iraq’s ban on Iranian flights, calling it contrary to international rules and agreements and arguing that restrictions on civil or military aviation can only be imposed by the UN or the International Civil Aviation Organization, otherwise constituting an explicit violation — Shafaq News.

➡️ The Iraqi government had imposed the ban the previous week, blocking flights from Iraqi airports to Iran and the reception of Iranian flights, in response to US Treasury sanctions announced on September 8 against 36 entities linked to Iran’s aviation sector, including 27 airlines; the sanctions entered into force on Wednesday. Positions among Iraqi travel, tourism and ground-transport companies differed over the US measures.

➡️ On Saturday, the Iraqi government said it had opened direct talks with Washington to secure exemptions for some Iraqi airports from the ban. On Sunday, an informed political source said Coordination Framework leaders would meet with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to discuss the prohibition on receiving Iranian aircraft at all Iraqi airports and its domestic political and popular repercussions. The government also received a direct US warning that continuing to receive Iranian airlines could expose airports, relevant entities and companies providing services to US sanctions.

An informed source told Shafaq News that Washington had made clear punitive measures could extend beyond the sanctioned Iranian airlines to any airport or entity facilitating their operations, including landing, ground handling, refueling and other flight-related services.

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