Arabic version: العراق يمنع طائرة المنتخب الإيراني من الهبوط

According to Al Jazeera, Iraq barred Iran’s national football team from landing in Basra because of United States sanctions on Iranian airlines.

The team’s plane was forced to return to Iran after it was not permitted to land in the Iraqi city.

Iran’s national side then travelled by bus and entered Iraq through the Shalamcheh border crossing. The team is due to compete in a four-nation tournament.