Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on October 2 urging Iraq to lift remaining flight restrictions, as air links between the two neighbours remain disrupted.

The restrictions follow a US sanctions ban that took effect on September 23, targeting Iranian aviation. Flights to Najaf, a key pilgrimage destination, have only partially resumed.

Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport has seen flights drop 42% since the restrictions began, hitting the country's connectivity hard.

The sanctions are part of Washington's maximum-pressure campaign on Tehran. They penalise companies and countries that do business with sanctioned Iranian entities.

Iraq, which hosts millions of Iranian pilgrims each year, has been caught in the middle. Baghdad has tried to balance its ties with both Washington and Tehran.

The disruption affects religious tourism, a major economic link between the two countries. Thousands of pilgrims travel to shrines in Najaf and Karbala annually.

Iran says the sanctions are unjust and has called on regional partners not to enforce them. Iraq has not yet responded to the October 2 statement.

The flight curbs add to the economic pressure on Iran as tensions with the US continue to escalate.