2025-05-29T16:04:43+00:00

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Shafaq News/ On
Thursday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani chaired a meeting with
representatives of the International Air Transport Association (IATA),
reviewing the latest steps toward lifting the European Union’s ban on Iraqi
Airways.

According to a
statement from the prime minister’s office, Iraq has completed 71% of a
corrective plan developed to address the conditions behind the ban. Discussions
also covered a proposed memorandum of understanding between Iraq and IATA to
formalize future technical cooperation.

Moreover, officials
from IATA and Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority presented updates on compliance
with international aviation safety standards, including those set by the IATA
Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA). IATA noted an improved performance in Iraqi Airways’ flight operations,
outlining plans for technical training programs to strengthen local capacity in
aviation governance.

The meeting also
addressed airport security protocols, pilot development strategies, and
coordination between Iraqi Airways and service providers in cargo, ground
handling, and fuel operations.

Iraqi Airways has been
barred from flying in EU airspace since 2015 due to failures to meet
international safety requirements. The ban, which had been briefly lifted in
2009, was initially imposed in 1991 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the
introduction of international sanctions. For most of the past decade, the
restriction has remained in place, limiting the airline’s ability to operate
flights to Europe.