NAJAF: An Iranian commercial airliner landed in the Iraqi city of Najaf despite Washington’s recently announced pressure campaign aimed at restricting services provided to Iranian airlines operating internationally.
The reported arrival came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that companies and countries continuing to provide certain services to Iranian aircraft could face consequences involving access to the US dollar system.
Bessent had said Iranian airlines would face a global shutdown from September 23, warning service providers against supplying fuel, landing facilities or ticketing services to Iranian carriers.
However, the arrival in Najaf indicates that at least some international Iranian flights continued operating despite the US announcement.
Iranian Flights Continue to Iraq and China
The Najaf arrival followed another Iranian commercial flight that landed in China on Wednesday.
A Mahan Air flight from Tehran reached Guangzhou despite the same US warning. Staff at the airline’s Shanghai office also said they had received no notification of flight cancellations and continued selling tickets for upcoming services.
Similarly, the reported Najaf flight suggests that Iranian airlines have maintained at least some regional connections following Washington’s deadline.
However, details about the carrier, flight number and services provided to the aircraft in Najaf were not included in the supplied report.
US Measures Produce Uneven International Response
Meanwhile, some countries and aviation companies have reportedly moved to restrict or suspend services involving Iranian airlines amid concerns about possible US financial penalties.
The response therefore appears uneven, with Iranian aircraft continuing to reach some international destinations while facing restrictions elsewhere.
Furthermore, Washington has not publicly detailed how its threatened penalties would apply across different jurisdictions or individual aviation service providers.
The continuing flights to Iraq and China highlight the practical challenges surrounding implementation of Washington’s effort to restrict Iranian commercial aviation internationally.
Iranian airliner lands in Najaf, Iraq
Technically this shouldn't have happened based on Bessent's push for halting international flights from Iran to other countries…
Another Iranian airliner also landed in China. (No surprise there)
But there are certainly countries that… pic.twitter.com/iIcXYo1oCj
— Ehsan Safarnejad (@Safarnejad_IR) September 23, 2026
