Iraqi authorities prohibited an aircraft transporting Iran’s national football team from touching down at Basra airport on Tuesday, according to two Basra airport officials who spoke to the Reuters news agency. The restriction stems from a directive by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority connected to United States sanctions targeting Iranian carriers.
Team Resumes Journey by Road
An Iranian consulate official in Basra stated that the aircraft flew back to Iran and touched down at Abadan airport, forcing the squad to complete their journey to Basra by road. The Iranian delegation was heading to Iraq to take part in a four-nation tournament hosted in Basra, which also features Lebanon, Palestine, and the host nation.
An Iraqi civil aviation official explained that the government enforced the restriction because it could not afford the risk of breaching Washington’s sanctions against Iranian airline companies. The episode underscores the growing reach of US punitive measures affecting Iranian aviation activities within Iraq.
Broader Aviation Restrictions
The United States previously declared penalties for any international firms engaging in commerce with Iranian airlines past September 23, with the objective of grounding Iran’s complete civil fleet globally. Earlier in September, Iraq directed a halt on Iranian flights heading to Baghdad airport following US warnings regarding secondary penalties directed at airports and service providers accommodating Iranian operators.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cautioned that airfields servicing Iranian carriers could encounter penalties, which include being locked out of the US dollar financial network. This caution formed part of a wider initiative to reinforce limitations on Iran’s transportation network and penalize foreign organizations offering assistance to blacklisted Iranian airlines.
The heightened restrictions form part of an American strategy to exert economic pressure on Iran while President Donald Trump works to conclude the conflict initiated by the US and Israel against the nation in February.
