Iraq given US exemption for Iranian flights to and from holy city

The United States has granted sanctions exemptions for some Iranian airlines to operate flights to Iraq's holy city of Najaf, the Iraqi prime minister's office said on Friday. It said Baghdad had secured "an agreement allowing Iranian airlines, with the exception of Mahan Air, to operate 40 flights daily to and from Najaf" , a city sacred to Shia Muslims. The US announced sweeping new sanctions targeting Iranian airlines last month as part of its efforts to pressure Iran's economy, with the two sides still to make peace in Washington's war on Tehran. Last week, Najaf airport suspended all Iranian flights in cooperation with the sanctions, leaving travellers scrambling for alternative routes.