Ghassan Ashour, a Middle East issues analyst, said that the United States’ exemption for flights from Iran to Najaf is more than an advantage for the Islamic Republic; it is a response to Iraq’s religious and political considerations. He added that Washington has excluded Mahan Air from this exemption due to its ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its potential role in the transfer of forces and equipment.

Ashour said that groups close to the Islamic Republic in Iraq have pressured the Baghdad government to obtain this exemption, but Iraq’s prime minister is also trying to use this matter to negotiate with Tehran and Washington and, in return for the concessions he offers, to obtain concessions.