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US President Donald Trump\u2019s administration was set \u200bto grant a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions program on Monday to allow for flights carrying \u200cShi\u2019ite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.<\/strong><\/p>\n The source, who is involved in the deliberations, said the US Treasury Department waiver would allow Iraqi Airways to fly back and forth between Iran and the \u200bShi\u2019ite holy city of Najaf in Iraq for one month, with a more permanent waiver potentially following.<\/span><\/p>\n Iraq halted \u200bflights to and from Iran on Friday, in line with US sanctions.<\/span><\/p>\n The source said the \u2060move aimed to ease pressure on the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who has sought to deepen \u200bties with Washington while also balancing a strong relationship with Iraq\u2019s influential neighbour, Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n Trump\u2019s effort to impose a \u200bcrippling economic blockade on Iran is forcing regional governments to scale back ties with Iran, creating potential backlash against those states, particularly those that balance their ties with both Washington and Tehran.<\/span><\/p>\n Zaidi\u2019s office over the weekend said that Iraq was seeking an exemption \u200bfor travel between Iran and Iraq for medical treatment, education and pilgrimage.<\/span><\/p>\n An Iraqi official said the Iraqi government was \u200bin talks with the US about the Najaf exemption and expected flights between Iran and Najaf to resume within 48 hours.<\/span><\/p>\n The \u200cUS \u2060State Department referred questions to the Treasury Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/span><\/p>\n In recent days, countries including Turkey, the UAE and Iraq have cancelled direct flights with Iran as a result of US pressure. In response, Iranian officials have threatened to halt regional air travel if Iran\u2019s air links continued to \u200bbe cut.<\/span><\/p>\n With Shi\u2019ite religious \u200bpilgrims travelling between Iran and \u2060Iraq each year to visit key shrine cities, Iraq is perhaps in the most sensitive position.<\/span><\/p>\n Najaf, a center for religious study, draws millions of pilgrims a year to \u200bthe shrine of Imam Ali, the first Shi\u2019ite leader, and the world\u2019s largest \u200band oldest \u2060active Islamic cemetery.<\/span><\/p>\n The source said that barring flights between the two countries could cause severe backlash against Iraq\u2019s government by uniting Shi\u2019ites who follow Iran\u2019s supreme leader and those who follow Iraq\u2019s Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, undermining US efforts to \u2060reduce Iranian \u200binfluence in Iraq.<\/span><\/p>\n