Iran-backed Iraqi militia threatens airport sit-ins over Iranian flight ban

Akram Al-Kaabi, secretary-general of Harakat Al-Nujaba

BAGHDAD, Sept 26: The Iran-backed Iraqi Harakat Al-Nujaba militia has threatened to organize sit-ins at Iraqi airports unless flights with Iran resume, escalating pressure on Baghdad over restrictions affecting Iranian airlines.

Akram Al-Kaabi, secretary-general of Harakat Al-Nujaba, said on Friday that the group would not wait long and called on Iraqis to prepare for sit-ins at airports if flights with Iran were not restored and what he described as US control over Iraq’s aviation decisions was not ended.

Al-Kaabi criticized Iraqi political groups for speaking about national sovereignty while, he said, allowing Washington to influence decisions concerning Iraq’s aviation sector. He also said the flight restrictions were preventing people from traveling between Iraq and Iran for religious visits and were harming Iraq economically and morally.

The threat came after Iraq notified Tehran that restrictions on Iranian airlines had taken effect Wednesday. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Baghdad intended to discuss the sanctions with Washington and seek ways to provide services to Iranian aviation.

The United States imposed a new package of aviation-related sanctions on September 8 under its “Operation Economic Outcast.” The US Treasury said it sanctioned 36 targets supporting Iran’s aviation sector and designated the remaining active Iranian airlines, along with foreign companies and intermediaries accused of supporting Iran’s aviation industry.

Harakat Al-Nujaba is an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed faction led by Al-Kaabi. The United States has designated the group and Al-Kaabi under its terrorism-related sanctions framework.

The latest dispute comes as Baghdad seeks exemptions from US measures to allow some Iranian flights to resume for humanitarian and civilian purposes, including medical treatment, education and religious travel.