Iraqi authorities refused entry to an aircraft carrying Iran’s national football team at Basra International Airport on Tuesday. Two airport officials confirmed that the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority blocked the landing due to United States sanctions targeting Iranian airlines.
The aircraft turned back to Iran and touched down at Abadan airport. An Iranian consulate official in Basra stated that the squad would complete the remainder of their journey to Iraq overland.
The Iranian team traveled to Iraq to compete in an international four-nation tournament. The sporting event in Basra also features teams from Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine.
An Iraqi civil aviation official explained that the administration implemented the ban to avoid any breach of American sanctions against Iranian carriers. Washington introduced punitive measures after September 23 against global companies conducting business with Iranian airlines, seeking to ground the entire civil fleet internationally.
Iraq previously directed the suspension of Iranian flights into Baghdad airport in September. The decision followed direct threats from the United States regarding secondary penalties for airports and service providers managing Iranian aircraft.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cautioned that facilities servicing Iranian planes could encounter punitive actions. These measures include potential removal from the international US dollar financial network.
The restrictions form part of a diplomatic and economic campaign by Washington. The strategy aims to tighten enforcement against Iran’s transport network and penalise international entities offering services to blacklisted carriers.
