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Commercial flights operated by Iraqi Airways between Iranian airports and Najaf resumed on September 28, 2026. Operations had been halted after foreign ground-handling companies refused aircraft servicing over concerns regarding U.S. sanctions. The resumption follows intervention by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi after protests at Najaf International Airport.
The UAE will resolve visa complexities and resume issuing all visa types, including tourist visas, for Bangladeshi nationals between January and mid-February 2025, according to UAE Ambassador Abdullah Al Hamoudi. The announcement was made during a reception in Dubai welcoming Bangladesh's new ambassador, Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey. The report notes that over 1.2 million Bangladeshi nationals currently reside in the UAE.
International flight services resumed at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on October 8, 2026, following suspensions caused by regional military hostilities. The first arriving commercial service was an Iraqi Airways flight from Najaf.
Escalating Middle East instability has forced international airlines to cancel routes and reroute approximately 1,150 flights daily. Carriers including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and European operators have suspended or postponed services to hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh.
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