BAGHDAD -- Iraq’s prime minister’s office announced Friday that an agreement has been reached to operate 40 daily round-trip flights by Iranian airlines to Najaf International Airport, following widespread protests that forced Baghdad to reverse restrictions imposed amid U.S. sanctions pressure.
In a statement, the prime minister’s office said the agreement was secured through his direct follow-up. 
“Aviation is not merely movement between two airports, but a bridge connecting peoples,” the statement said, noting that among passengers are 

patients awaiting treatment, pilgrims seeking to visit holy sites, and families eager to reunite without obstacles. It added that the sector is vital for tourism, the economy, and social ties.
The prime minister stressed that Iraq’s foreign relations are based on the interests of its people and a commitment to balanced, positive ties with other nations, aimed at improving lives and strengthening lasting connections.
The agreement marks a climbdown for Baghdad, which had faced mounting domestic anger after Iranian flights to Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah were suspended. 
Airport service companies in Iraq, fearing secondary U.S. sanctions, refused to provide services to Iranian aircraft after Washington imposed a new round of sanctions on Iranian airlines.
The Iranian embassy in Baghdad on Thursday called on the Iraqi government to make an “immediate decision” to address the restrictions, saying relations between Tehran and Baghdad are founded on “deep bonds and shared interests.” 
It stressed that the measures had effectively prevented pilgrims, students, and patients from traveling between the two countries.
“The independent Iraqi government is expected, on ‘Sovereignty Day,’ to take an immediate decision to safeguard these historic relations against provocative measures and the consequences of U.S. sanctions,” the embassy said.
Commercial air travel between Iraq and Iran halted on September 25, as ground-handling firms stopped offering services on these routes due to concerns about possible sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department, prompting airlines to cancel operations.
On September 8, the Treasury enacted sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines and warned that international airports, fuel suppliers, ground-handling companies, and other service providers working with sanctioned airlines could face secondary sanctions.
In recent weeks, Baghdad undertook efforts to ease tensions, but secured only a limited, one-month exemption from Washington. The U.S. issued a limited authorization allowing only pilgrimage flights operated by Iraqi Airways to depart from Najaf, while Iranian airlines remained barred from Iraqi airspace.
The measure sparked anger among Iraqi political groups, parties, and the public, with calls to break the “U.S. siege.” Hundreds staged a sit-in outside Najaf Airport in protest. A senior Iraqi cleric condemned Baghdad’s decision to prevent Iranian aircraft from landing as submission to U.S. bullying.
The episode underscores the extent of Washington’s meddling in Iraqi affairs, with a temporary waiver and fears of secondary sanctions dictating whether a sovereign neighbor could receive flights carrying pilgrims, patients, and students — until public pressure forced Baghdad to act.