Iraq searches Iranian plane travelling to Syria

The Iraqi authorities on Tuesday started searching the first Iranian cargo plane using the Iraqi airspace to Syria, an official Iraqi television reported. "The aviation authority today requested an Iranian cargo plane flying from Tehran to Damascus to land in Baghdad airport and was searched by Iraqi security," the state-run Iraqia channel said. It said that the plane was later allowed to fly after the authorities found it was not carrying anything contrary to the instructions that banned the transport of weapons to Syria. Earlier, U.S. officials and media reports have said that there are doubts that Iranian aircraft are carrying weapons to Syria via Iraqi airspace, but Baghdad denied the allegations saying the Iranian flights are carrying humanitarian aid.