The U.S. Treasury Department has removed counterterrorism sanctions from Iraqi commercial airline Fly Baghdad and two of its Boeing 737 aircraft.

The decision was published by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control after the airline completed an administrative reconsideration process. A Treasury spokesperson said Fly Baghdad demonstrated significant operational changes showing that its continued designation was no longer warranted.

In the same update, the Treasury modified the designation of Fly Baghdad CEO Basheer Abdulkhaliq Alwan Al-Shabbani, linking him directly to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force rather than through the airline

Treasury officials rejected suggestions that the airline’s removal reflected a broader diplomatic change toward Iran.

“This is a routine outcome of the legal review process,” a Treasury spokesperson said. “This is not indicative of any shift in U.S. policy toward the Government of Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, any designated terrorist organization, or any person who supports or acts on behalf of any of these.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)