No official notice received on resuming Iran-Najaf flights, airport official says

Reports circulating since Tuesday suggested that the suspension of flights between Iran and the Iraqi holy city of Najaf might be lifted, with speculation that the first Tehran-Najaf flight could operate on Wednesday. The flights had been suspended last week following the imposition of US sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines.

However, Mehr News Agency reported that no official directive or notification regarding the resumption of flights between Iran and Najaf had been received by the time the news was published. Ali Kashani Heidari, the Public Relations Director of Imam Khomeini Airport City, told a Mehr reporter that no official correspondence has been issued confirming that flights between Iran and Najaf will resume.

"So far, no official correspondence has been issued confirming that flights between Iran and Najaf will resume," Heidari said. He added that for the time being there has been no official announcement regarding a resumption schedule, and that it is impossible to specify an exact time for the restart of Tehran-Najaf flights.

The suspension followed the imposition of US sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines, which affected air links between the two countries. Najaf, a major destination for Shia pilgrims, is home to the shrine of Imam Ali (a.s.), and flights from Iran to the city are significant for religious travel.

According to Mehr News Agency, no official confirmation of a resumption has been issued, and the status of the flights remains unchanged pending an official announcement.