US Considers Sanctions Waiver for Iran-Iraq Flights
A limited exemption is being considered to allow religious pilgrims to travel between Iran and Najaf for one month.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
الخطوط العراقية تستأنف رحلاتها بين مطار النجف والمطارات الإيرانية بعد توقفها بسبب العقوبات الأمريكية (رويترز)
Photograph: aljazeera.net (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The US is considering a limited waiver from sanctions on Iran to allow flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf.
- The waiver would permit Iraqi Airways to transport religious pilgrims for one month, with a possibility of extension.
- Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) against the US.
- Iraqi Airways resumed flights between Najaf and Iranian airports on Monday.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 7 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 7 of the 14 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
60/100
Craft
60/100
Hype
40/100
14 sources · methodology
The United States is considering granting a limited waiver from its sanctions on Iran. This potential exemption would allow flights carrying religious pilgrims between Iran and the Iraqi city of Najaf for a period of one month. The waiver could be extended. Iraqi Airways resumed its flights between Najaf and Iranian airports on Monday, following efforts by the Iraqi government to restart air travel between the two countries. The resumption of flights occurred as reports emerged of the US consideration for the exemption.
Disagreement on Sanctions Details
While multiple sources indicate the US is considering a waiver for flights between Iran and Najaf, details regarding the scope and duration vary. Some reports suggest the waiver would specifically allow Iraqi Airways to operate these flights, while others mention a potential permanent exemption for Najaf Airport. It remains unclear if Iranian airlines would also be included in any such exemption.
What the coverage left out
None of the right-rated digests mention Iran's formal complaint to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) against the US. The left-rated report and the centre-rated reports do mention this complaint.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 28 Sept 2026, 20:15, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
1 rated outlet
- The single left-rated report led with Iraqi Airways resuming flights to Iran and mentioned an exception to US sanctions. It stated that the US was considering a waiver allowing Iraqi Airways to transport pilgrims between Iran and Najaf for one month. The report also noted Iran's formal complaint to the ICAO against the US over restrictions affecting Iranian airlines.
Centre
3 rated outlets
- The centre-rated reports focused on the US granting a sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf. These digests stated that the waiver would allow Iraqi Airways to fly religious pilgrims for one month. One digest noted that the US government, under President Donald Trump, was set to grant this limited exemption. Another digest mentioned the dilemma between sanctioning Tehran and stabilising Iraq.
Right
3 rated outlets
- The right-rated reports highlighted that the US would grant a sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf, citing a source. These digests specified that the waiver would allow flights carrying Shiite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq. One report mentioned that the Trump administration was considering this limited waiver on Monday. Another digest noted that the waiver would allow Iraqi Airways to operate flights to and from Najaf.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover US Considers Sanctions Waiver for Iran-Iraq Flights?
- Of the 7 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 14% are rated left, 43% are rated centre, 43% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 14. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is US Considers Sanctions Waiver for Iran-Iraq Flights left or right?
- Too few of the outlets on this story carry a published leaning rating to say. 7 of them do, and this site does not characterise a field under 12: at that size one newsroom filing moves the share by ten points. The percentages above are the count as it stands.
- Is the coverage of US Considers Sanctions Waiver for Iran-Iraq Flights biased?
- US Considers Sanctions Waiver for Iran-Iraq Flights is one event reported by 14 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered US Considers Sanctions Waiver for Iran-Iraq Flights?
- 14 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the US considering regarding Iran sanctions?
- The US is considering granting a limited waiver from its sanctions on Iran. This would allow flights carrying religious pilgrims between Iran and the Iraqi city of Najaf for one month, with a possibility of extension.
- What action has Iran taken?
- Iran has filed a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) against the United States. This action is in response to restrictions affecting Iranian airlines.
- Have flights between Iran and Iraq resumed?
- Yes, Iraqi Airways resumed its flights between Najaf and Iranian airports on Monday. This resumption followed efforts by the Iraqi government to restart air travel between the two countries.
Read it at the source
14 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
1Centre
3- US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf, source says (opens The Express Tribune in a new tab)
The Express Tribune — is The Express Tribune biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq’s Najaf: source (opens South China Morning Post in a new tab)
South China Morning Post — is South China Morning Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive-US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq’s Najaf, source says (opens WTVB in a new tab)
Right
3- U.S. Will Grant Sanctions for Flights Between Iran and Najaf, Iraq, Says Source (opens Globo in a new tab)
- US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf (opens CNBC-TV18 in a new tab)
- US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf, source says (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)
The Straits Times — is The Straits Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
7- Washington Surrenders: Sanctions on Iran Crack with Surprising Exemption (opens kikar.co.il in a new tab)
kikar.co.il — is kikar.co.il biased? Our profile of this outlet
- EXCLUSIVE: US to Grant Sanctions Waiver for Flights Between Iran and Iraq’s Najaf, Source Says (opens KAYHAN LIFE in a new tab)
KAYHAN LIFE — is KAYHAN LIFE biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US: Exception Under Consideration for Flights to Iraq Despite Iran Sanctions (opens Naftemporiki in a new tab)
Naftemporiki — is Naftemporiki biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Source: The US Is Considering Granting Sanctions Exemptions for Flights Between Iran and Najaf in Iraq. (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- US: Najaf Airport Exempted From Sanctions on Iranian Airlines (opens Business Daily in a new tab)
Business Daily — is Business Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US: Najaf Airport in Iraq May Be Exempt From Sanctions Imposed on Iranian Airlines (opens Capital.gr in a new tab)
Capital.gr — is Capital.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Prominent Among Them Is the Support for the Exception of Najaf Airport to the Treasury's Decision to Account for the weapons... the Details of the Presidential Meeting. (opens hathalyoum.net in a new tab)
hathalyoum.net — is hathalyoum.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
How did this read?
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