US removes Fly Baghdad from sanctions list, keeps owner blacklisted
Treasury cites operational changes by the Iraqi airline, which was designated in 2024 over ties to Iran’s IRGC
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
The United States has lifted sanctions against Fly Baghdad airline. This action followed an administrative reconsideration process by the US Treasury
Photograph: The Economic Times (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The US Treasury removed Fly Baghdad airline and two of its aircraft from its sanctions list on 4 August 2026, citing major operational changes by the company.
- Sanctions remain in place against the airline’s previously identified owner, Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani, who was designated in 2024 over alleged links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- The Treasury stated the removal does not signal a shift in US policy toward Iran or its associated groups.
- The decision followed an administrative reconsideration process, as reported by the Economic Times.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 12 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. Coverage measured .
Trust
66/100
Craft
77/100
Hype
15/100
12 sources · methodology
Thin on the left so far
Only 2 of the 12 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated left.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
The US Treasury removed Fly Baghdad airline and two of its aircraft from its sanctions list on 4 August 2026. The airline had been designated in January 2024 over allegations it provided support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. A Treasury official, speaking anonymously, told AFP the airline had demonstrated major changes to its operations, which warranted the removal.
Sanctions remain in place against Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani, who was previously identified as the airline’s owner. The Treasury clarified the decision was not indicative of any shift in US policy toward Iran, the IRGC, or designated terrorist organisations. The removal followed an administrative reconsideration process, as reported by the Economic Times.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated digests mentioned the Treasury’s statement that the removal did not signal a policy shift toward Iran or the IRGC. Five of the seven right-rated digests also omitted this statement. The unrated Shafaq News digest did not specify whether sanctions remain in place against the airline’s owner.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 4 times, most recently on 5 Aug 2026, 18:00, 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
2 rated outlets
- Both left-rated digests led on the lifting of sanctions against Fly Baghdad. Cumhuriyet’s digest described the airline as an "organization linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard," while Vanguard News called it an "Iraqi airline linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards." Neither digest mentioned the Treasury’s statement that the removal did not signal a policy shift toward Iran or the IRGC.
Centre
2 rated outlets
- The Economic Times, the only centre-rated report, led on the Treasury’s removal of sanctions against Fly Baghdad and two of its aircraft. It quoted the Treasury official’s statement that the airline had demonstrated major operational changes, and included the official’s clarification that the removal was "not indicative of any shift in US policy toward the Government of Iran." The report also noted that sanctions remain in place against the airline’s previously identified owner.
Right
8 rated outlets
- All seven right-rated digests led on the removal of sanctions against Fly Baghdad. The Straits Times, Tribune India, Latestly, Times of India, i24NEWS, and Mehr News Agency described the airline as previously linked to Iran’s IRGC or its Quds Force. The News framed the removal as part of a broader pattern, headlining its digest "US Treasury lifts specific Iran sanctions as Trump deal nears."
- i24NEWS and Times of India included the Treasury’s statement that the removal did not signal a policy shift toward Iran or the IRGC. The other five right-rated digests did not mention this clarification.
Read it at the source
12 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
2- US Makes Critical Move Regarding Iran: Sanctions Lifted on Organization Linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. (opens Cumhuriyet in a new tab)
Cumhuriyet — is Cumhuriyet biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US lifts sanctions on Iraqi airline linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards (opens Vanguard News in a new tab)
Vanguard News — is Vanguard News biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
2Right
8- US lifts sanctions on Fly Baghdad, previously linked to Iran's IRGC (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)
The Straits Times — is The Straits Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US lifts sanctions on Iraqi airline linked to Iran's IRGC (opens Al Arabiya in a new tab)
Al Arabiya — is Al Arabiya biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US Treasury lifts specific Iran sanctions as Trump deal nears (opens The News in a new tab)
- US removes sanctions from three IRGC-linked entities, Treasury website shows - The Tribune (opens Tribune India in a new tab)
Tribune India — is Tribune India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US Removes Sanctions from Three IRGC-linked Entities, Treasury Website Shows (opens Latestly in a new tab)
- US delists Iraqi carrier Fly Baghdad from sanctions list (opens i24NEWS in a new tab)
- Washington removes sanctions on Iraq's Fly Baghdad airline (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US Treasury lifts some sanctions on Iraqi airliner (opens Mehr News Agency in a new tab)
Mehr News Agency — is Mehr News Agency biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
0No outlet in this group ran the story.
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