Flights between Iraq and Iran were halted at aviation hubs in Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaimaniya starting Friday morning. The suspensions occur as the U.S. government implements a policy to sanction any global companies doing business with Iranian airlines after September 23. The measure is part of a broader effort by Washington to enforce the complete economic isolation of Tehran.

The ban on flights to Najaf, which grounded nine Iranian airlines, has triggered a jurisdictional conflict between the Iraqi Prime Minister's office and the Civil Aviation Authority. While the Prime Minister's office issued the directive, the Civil Aviation Authority and Transport Ministry claim they hold the sole legal jurisdiction over airport operations. The authority also stated that some decisions to cut routes to Najaf were made only after Iran had already suspended those flights.