Iraq bars Iranian football team’s plane from landing
2026-11-10T11:13:36+00:00
Shafaq News- Basra (Updated at 17:04)
Iraqi authorities denied a plane carrying Iran’s national football team permission to land at Basra International Airport on Tuesday, forcing it to divert to the Iranian city of Abadan, a security source told Shafaq News.
The refusal may be linked to international sanctions affecting Iranian aviation, the source said, although the exact reason remains unconfirmed. The delegation is expected to continue its journey to Basra by road.
Iran is scheduled to compete alongside host Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine in a four-nation football tournament beginning Friday in Basra.
Read more: US sanctions reshape Iraq-Iran travel, airline operations
This report was followed by an updated story.
