ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A senior leader of Iraq’s Iran-backed Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba on Sunday called on Iraqis to protest a recent decision by Iraqi airports to stop providing services to Iranian airliners, effectively suspending dozens of flights between the two neighboring countries. The move comes amid US threats to cut entities that violate its recent sanctions off from the dollar-based financial system. “To make a stance against this oppressive decision and regain our national decision, we call on you all for wide and active participation in a protest to reject this unjust decision tomorrow Monday in front of the Najaf Ashraf International Airport gate,” Nadhim al-Saeidi, head of Nujaba’s executive council, said in a Sunday statement. The suspension of flights, which degrades “national sovereignty,” will have “dangerous” humanitarian, economic and religious implications, claimed Saeidi. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to religious shrines will be unable to fly to the holy city, and local religious tourism and economy will be negatively impacted, he added. Commercial flights between Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, and Iran were suspended on Friday as Iraqi airports moved to comply with tightened United States sanctions targeting Tehran's aviation sector. The Iranian consulate general in Najaf on Friday expressed dissatisfaction with the decision. Last Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared a global shutdown of all Iranian airlines and warned that entities providing fuel, landing services, or tickets would be "knocked out of the dollar system." Washington in late August imposed a sweeping sanctions package against Tehran dubbed Operation Economic Outcast. The measures were expanded in September to target 36 entities, including 27 active carriers, covert front companies and foreign intermediaries accused of transporting weapons, personnel and illicit cargo. Speaking to Fox news, Bessent said on Sunday that Iran was "on their knees" to make a deal, but that they would only make a deal if the Iranians stuck to it. "Our partners have been great. We have shut down three banks… We have many more new authorities now, whether it is on crypto, on the airlines, maritime. We are enforcing those. We've shut down the Iranian airlines. They are isolated from the world. They are a pariah state,” said Bessent. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, who was in New York last week, announced on Sunday that he had landed in Washington to meet US officials and think tanks in a tweet. It is not clear if Hussein will seek a waiver from the US regarding Iranian airliners during the surprise trip. Iraq said on Saturday that it is in direct talks with the United States to seek exemptions for some Iraqi airports from measures affecting Iranian airlines. It added that the exemptions would allow flights to resume for humanitarian purposes, including medical treatment, education, religious visits and other civilian needs. The dissatisfaction has reached the Iraqi parliament as well. Speaking to journalists on Sunday at the Iraqi parliament's Najaf office, Iraqi lawmaker from Najaf province Abbas al-Alyawi called on the Iraqi government to reverse its decision. “This is a neighbor with whom we share thousands of kilometers. We enjoy the best political relations,” said Alyawi. “This decision to stop flights from Iraq is unwelcome,” he said, adding that thus far 50 parliamentarians have signed a rejection letter, with 50 more set to join in. “We reject this decision. We hope the Iraqi government will spare no effort to cancel this unfair decision to the Iraqi people and all its resources,” he added. Youssif Ganawi, the head of the Najaf International Airport, on Sunday called on the airport’s administration to “attract new airline companies” to increase the number of flights to the airport for supporting tourist and economic activity.
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