Iraq Bars Iran Football Team Flight Over US Sanctions Concerns
Iraq barred an airplane carrying the Iran national football team from landing in Basra over US sanctions concerns. The team will now travel overland as US measures target Iranian aviation.
Iraq prevented an airplane carrying the Iran national football team from landing at Basra International Airport on Tuesday, citing concerns over violating US sanctions on Iranian airlines. Following the incident, the aircraft returned to Iran, and the national team will continue its journey by land, according to an official at the Iranian consulate in Basra.
The Iranian squad was traveling to participate in a four-nation football tournament in Basra, which includes Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine. An official from the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority stated that the decision was made because Iraq could not risk violating American sanctions targeting Iranian air carriers.
The incident highlights the growing impact of US sanctions on Iranian aviation operations in Iraq. On September 23, the United States announced sweeping sanctions against any company globally doing business with Iranian airlines, aiming to ground Iran's entire civilian aviation fleet worldwide.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that airports servicing Iranian airlines could face severe penalties, including being cut off from the US dollar system. Consequently, Iraq already ordered the suspension of Iranian flights to Baghdad International Airport back in September.
Additionally, three weeks ago, Iraq decided to close the Ash-Shaeeb border crossing in eastern Iraq opposite Iran's Khuzestan province until further notice. The closure of this land crossing to passengers, vehicles, and commercial trucks presents an additional hurdle that may complicate the Iranian team's overland border crossing.
This development unfolds against the backdrop of complex relations between the United States and Iran, which have intensified in recent years over Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile development, and regional activities. The US sanctions on Iran's aviation sector are part of a broader effort to tighten restrictions on the country's transportation infrastructure and foreign entities providing services to Iranian carriers.
