9月28日 - 据一位直接了解情况的人士透露，美国总统特朗普政府定于周一在其对伊朗制裁计划中授予一项有限豁免，允许搭载什叶派穆斯林宗教朝圣者的航班在伊朗和伊拉克之间往返。
Sept 28 - US President Donald Trump's administration was set to grant a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions program on Monday to allow for flights carrying Shi'ite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.
这位参与磋商的消息人士表示，美国财政部的豁免将允许伊拉克航空公司在伊朗和伊拉克什叶派圣城纳杰夫之间往返飞行一个月，之后可能会有更长期的豁免。伊拉克周五根据美国制裁暂停了往返伊朗的航班。
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 Shi'ite holy city of Najaf in Iraq for one month, with a more permanent waiver potentially following. Iraq halted flights to and from Iran on Friday, in line with US sanctions.
消息人士称，此举旨在缓解伊拉克总理阿迪勒·阿卜杜勒-马赫迪政府的压力，后者在寻求深化与华盛顿关系的同时，也要平衡与伊拉克极具影响力的邻国伊朗的紧密关系。
The source said the move aimed to ease pressure on the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who has sought to deepen ties with Washington while also balancing a strong relationship with Iraq's influential neighbour, Iran.
特朗普试图对伊朗实施毁灭性的经济封锁，迫使地区政府缩减与伊朗的关系，这可能引发对这些国家的反弹，特别是那些在华盛顿和德黑兰之间寻求平衡的国家。
Trump's effort to impose a crippling 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.
马赫迪办公室周末表示，伊拉克正寻求豁免伊朗与伊拉克之间因医疗、教育和朝圣目的的旅行。
Zaidi's office over the weekend said that Iraq was seeking an exemption for travel between Iran and Iraq for medical treatment, education and pilgrimage.
一名伊拉克官员称，伊拉克政府正与美国就纳杰夫豁免事宜进行磋商，预计伊朗与纳杰夫之间的航班将在48小时内恢复。美国国务院将问题转交财政部，后者未立即回应置评请求。
An Iraqi official said the Iraqi government was in talks with the US about the Najaf exemption and expected flights between Iran and Najaf to resume within 48 hours. The US State Department referred questions to the Treasury Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
近几天，包括土耳其、阿联酋和伊拉克在内的国家在美方压力下取消了与伊朗的直航。作为回应，伊朗官员威胁称，如果伊朗的空中联系持续被切断，将停止地区航空旅行。
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's air links continued to be cut.
由于每年都有什叶派宗教朝圣者在伊朗和伊拉克之间往返参观主要圣城，伊拉克或许处于最敏感的位置。
With Shi'ite religious pilgrims travelling between Iran and Iraq each year to visit key shrine cities, Iraq is perhaps in the most sensitive position.
纳杰夫是宗教研究的中心，每年都有数百万朝圣者前来瞻仰伊玛目阿里的陵墓。伊玛目阿里是什叶派的首位领袖，纳杰夫同时也是世界上规模最大、历史最悠久的伊斯兰陵墓所在地。
Najaf, a center for religious study, draws millions of pilgrims a year to the shrine of Imam Ali, the first Shi'ite leader, and the world’s largest and oldest active Islamic cemetery.
消息人士指出，如果两国之间的航班被中断，将会引发强烈反对情绪——这不仅会团结那些追随伊朗最高领袖的什叶派信徒，也会团结那些追随伊拉克大阿亚图拉阿里·赛义迪的什叶派信徒，从而削弱美国试图减少伊朗在伊拉克影响力的努力。
The source said that barring flights between the two countries could cause severe backlash against Iraq's government by uniting Shi'ites who follow Iran's supreme leader and those who follow Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, undermining US efforts to reduce Iranian influence in Iraq.
消息人士还称，扎伊迪已提出了一系列保障措施，包括对航班乘客进行严格筛查、加强信息交流，并确保这些航班不会被用于武器运输、运送受制裁的人员或非法资金。
Zaidi has offered to provide safeguards for the flights, including rigorous screening and information sharing as well as ensuring the flights are not used for transfer of weapons, sanctioned individuals or illicit money, the source said.