Iranian airlines cut flights after new US sanctions
A number of countries have stopped accepting Iranian aircraft, and major foreign air carriers have canceled flights to Tehran. Some routes, primarily flights to China, remain available for now.
Iranian airlines reduced flights after new US sanctions
Iranian airlines canceled some of their international flights after the US tightened sanctions against the country's aviation industry. Publications such as AFP, Bloomberg, and Iran International wrote about this. According to AFP, a travel agency in Tehran confirmed that flights to Baghdad, Muscat, Qatar, Georgia, and Azerbaijan have been suspended.
On September 8, the US Department of the Treasury added 36 entities related to Iranian aviation, including 27 airlines, to the sanctions list. The department stated that this sector was used for transporting weapons, military, and illicit cargo.
On September 21, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that starting September 23, Iranian carriers would practically be deprived of international operations. In an interview with CNBC, he said that all Iranian airlines would be shut down worldwide. He also threatened to cut off those who refuel, service, or sell tickets for their aircraft from the dollar system. He called these measures part of the promised "economic D-Day" for Iran after nearly seven months of war.
The sanctions do not ban Iranian aircraft from entering the airspace of other countries. However, pressure is being applied to airports, fuel and service companies, and banks, without which flights cannot be operated.
Georgia suspended flights of Iranian air carriers starting September 21. Azerbaijan announced a suspension starting September 22. According to Iranian civil aviation data, Baghdad airport has stopped accepting Iranian flights since the morning of September 23, and Muscat (Oman) is not accepting Iranian passengers. This particularly affects pilgrims flying to the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala.
Foreign airlines are also suspending flights. Turkish Airlines suspended all flights to Iran until at least March 2027. Lufthansa (Germany) and Austrian Airlines canceled flights until at least October 24, while Emirates (UAE) is not flying to Tehran. Qatar Airways plans to resume flights from November 29, but airlines do not guarantee that the deadline will be met. According to Iran International, Mahan Air was deprived of ground services at Turkish airports and departed from there.