Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s office asked the United States for an exemption to resume flights with Iran on humanitarian grounds related to medical treatment, education, religious visits and the interests of civilians, after four Iraqi airports suspended all flights to and from Iran on Friday, days after Washington announced new aviation sanctions on any global company doing business with Iranian airlines.

On Saturday, demonstrators gathered in Baghdad against the suspensions, in a protest organised by Iran-allied militias, and the head of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Akram al-Kaabi, vowed to organize sit-ins at airports across the country unless normal air traffic resumes.