Iraq barred a plane carrying Iran’s national soccer team from landing at Basra airport on Tuesday, according to two Basra airport officials. The officials linked the decision to the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority and to US sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines.
The plane returned to Iran and landed at Abadan airport, an Iranian consulate official in Basra said. According to the same official, the team will now travel overland to Basra.
The Iranian team was traveling to Iraq to take part in a four-nation tournament in Basra.