Iraqi Airways, the national carrier of Iraq, is preparing to resume direct commercial flights to Iran later this week, after Baghdad approved Iranian airlines, except Mahan Air, to operate up to 40 flights a day to and from Najaf International Airport.

The Iraqi Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Monday that the new operational plan, beginning October 8, will include daily flights from Najaf airport to the holy city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran, the capital Tehran, and the city of Isfahan in central Iran.

The ministry noted that the move aims to facilitate passenger travel and provide regular air transport between Iraq and the Iranian cities.

The development comes a day after Najaf airport received the first Iranian flight following the resumption of air travel between the two neighboring countries.

Mustafa Kubba, Media Director at Najaf International Airport, told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that a plane operated by Iran’s Caspian Airlines, with over 150 passengers onboard, had landed at the airport. The airliner had taken off from Tehran.

Iraqi resistance official hails public defiance that broke US siege on Najaf-Iran flights

The official warned that the Iraqi people will launch an even stronger "angry popular flood" if the unjust American siege on Iraqi airports continues.

On September 8, the US Treasury sanctioned 27 Iranian airlines and threatened airports, fuel suppliers, ground-handling firms, and other service providers dealing with Iranian carriers with secondary sanctions.

Erbil International Airport and Sulaymaniyah’s International Airport took similar measures. Kirkuk International Airport also said it had no flights to Iran.

Several Iraqi political and Resistance figures have criticized the suspension of Iranian flights.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said that Iran is Iraq’s “neighbor, ally, and friend” and called the airport closure a major mistake, urging authorities to reverse the decision.

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba Secretary-General Akram al-Kaabi vowed in a statement that the Iraqi anti-terror resistance group will stage sit-ins at Iraqi airports nationwide unless normal air traffic between the two Muslim neighboring countries resumes.

On September 28, the Iraqi people held protests across the country to condemn the government’s decision to suspend all flights to and from Iran.

Later in the day, Iraqi Airways resumed commercial flights between the holy city of Najaf and Iranian airports after Baghdad held direct talks with Washington to secure exemptions for certain aviation facilities from US secondary sanctions.