Washington, August 6: The U.S. Department of the Treasury has removed the Iraqi commercial airline Fly Baghdad and its two aircraft from its list of sanctioned entities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Fly Baghdad, also known as Iraq Express, had its two Boeing 737 aircraft delisted from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, according to a statement from the Office of Foreign Assets Control released on Wednesday.
The airline was initially sanctioned in January 2024 for allegedly supporting the IRGC’s Quds Force and its proxy militias in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
According to a report by the Xinhua news agency, a department official stated that this change followed a reconsideration process.
Several media outlets cited an official saying, “This does not indicate any change in U.S. policy regarding the Iranian government, the IRGC-Quds Force, or any designated terrorist organization, or any individuals acting on their behalf.”
Earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Basset mentioned on Tuesday that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with Iran could be reached in a matter of days.
Following a cessation of attacks from both sides over the weekend, the U.S. and Iran are now discussing the reopening of the Strait.
According to a press release from the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ismail Baghaei informed reporters on Wednesday that an agreement had been reached on the geographical coordination of the proposed route between Iran and Oman, and they are finalizing a joint statement outlining the specific points agreed upon.
He noted that both countries have been negotiating the proposed route for the past two months, during which Iranian officials have been reviewing technical, legal, security, and environmental aspects.
Baghaei added that the closure of the Strait was due to military attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iran and the impact on regional security.
He emphasized that the mutual understanding between Iran and Oman does not guarantee the Strait’s safety for maritime traffic, as U.S. maritime blockades and other aggressive actions against Iran and its interests continue.
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