Iraq bars landing of plane carrying Iran's national soccer team
Iraq has barred a plane carrying Iran's national soccer team from landing at the airport in Basra due to U.S. sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines. This was reported by Reuters.
According to an employee of the Iranian consulate in Basra, the plane returned to Iran and landed at the airport in Abadan, and the team will now travel to Basra by ground transportation. The Iranian national team was heading to Iraq to take part in a tournament involving four countries — Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine. In the opening match on November 14, the Iranian national team is scheduled to play the Palestinians.
On September 8, the United States added 35 airlines and other firms operating in the air transportation sector to the Iran sanctions list. On September 21, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that all Iranian airlines would have to halt flights abroad starting September 23 because of Washington's sanctions, which also threaten Tehran's foreign partners.
Source: TASS
