US Threatens to Review Iraq Aid Over Iran Overflights

Claims Civilian Aircraft Actually Smuggling Weapons Across Iraqi Airspace

US allegations that Iran was smuggling weapons through Iraqi airspace emerged earlier this month, but after the Iraqi government demanded “evidence” and none was provided the whole story seemingly died, at least for awhile.

Sen. John Kerry (D – MA) has now reportedly threatened a full “review” of all US aid to the Iraqi government unless they immediately and unconditionally halt all Iranian access to their airspace.

The allegation now is that not only are cargo aircrafts supposedly sending weapons into Syria from Iran, but that civilian aircraft in general are being stocked full of troops and weapons by Iran and that any plane leaving Iran is automatically suspect.

The US had initially demanded that Iraq force Iran to land all outgoing aircraft in their airports to search them, which Iraq said it had no intention of doing without evidence. The US has not provided evidence for the new allegations either, rather presenting them as assumptions.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.