Iran will soon resume direct flights from Tehran to Irbil, a city in Iraq's Kurdistan, an Iranian official said Tuesday, almost six months after the Baghdad government imposed an air ban on the region in retaliation for an independence vote.
Flights will start again on April 27, Morteza Ebadi, the Iranian consul general in Irbil, was quoted as saying by the news agency ISNA.
Foreign airlines suspended flights to Irbil and Suleimanieh in the region in September 2017, obeying a notice from the Baghdad government, which controls Iraqi air space. Ebadi said talks were under way to resume flight to Suleimanieh as well.
Iraq’s Kurds overwhelmingly backed independence in the September referendum, defying neighboring countries, which fear the vote could lead to renewed conflict in the region.
Iran re-opened a few border crossings with Iraqi Kurdistan in October and January, which it had closed after the referendum at the request of Baghdad.
Iran has its own Kurdish minority and opposes independence for Iraqi Kurds.
Reuters
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.