Foreign Minister: Resuming flights to Iran supports building an Iraqi–American partnership based on respect

Baghdad – Al-Wasat Iraqi newspaper 

Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said on Friday that resuming flights to Iran supports building an Iraqi–American partnership based on respect.

Hussein said in a post on X, as reported by Al-Wasat Iraqi newspaper, "I met yesterday in Washington with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and we discussed a number of files related to Iraqi‑American relations and the economic and security developments in the region."

He added, "We addressed the sanctions imposed on Iran and their potential effects on Iraq," explaining that "we discussed in depth the impact of the sanctions on Najaf Airport in particular, given its vital importance to Iraq."

He affirmed that "Scott Bessent understood the Iraqi request and agreed to exempt flights to the holy sites from the sanctions."

The foreign minister expressed Iraq's appreciation for the United States and the international coalition for the support and sacrifices they provided alongside Iraqi forces in confronting the ISIS terrorist organization, affirming "the government's commitment to confine weapons and the decisions of war and peace to the state and its constitutional institutions."

The foreign minister praised the U.S. government and the Treasury Department's understanding of "the importance of respecting religious freedom and facilitating visitors' access to the holy sites and resuming flights to them, reflecting shared values of tolerance and respect, and supporting the building of an Iraqi‑American partnership based on respect and mutual interests."