Basra (IraqiNews.com) — Following a weeks-long suspension due to a regional war, Iraq has restarted many international flights from Basra as air transport gradually returns to normal. In a further step toward reestablishing connection, state airline Iraqi Airways announced that it would resume flights from Basra International Airport to important locations, including Dubai, Istanbul, and Cairo. Services to Istanbul will resume on Wednesdays and Fridays starting on April 22, while flights between Basra and Dubai will start on April 23 and run twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Every Tuesday, the Basra–Cairo route will run. As part of a gradual restoration to full operations, the transport ministry previously decided to resume flights from Baghdad to Dubai and Istanbul. Following a short truce between the United States and Iran that allayed security worries, Iraq decided to resume its airspace on April 8 after closing it for forty days. In southern Iraq, where Basra is a significant center for commerce and oil activities, the restoration of air connections is considered a crucial step in reviving tourism, trade, and economic activity.