US Sanctions Remaining Iranian Airlines in Major Aviation Crackdown
The US Treasury Department said the measures include 27 Iranian airlines, as well as companies based in the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 36 targets linked to Iran’s aviation sector, targeting what Washington described as networks used by Tehran to transport weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo.
The US Treasury Department said the measures include 27 Iranian airlines, as well as companies based in the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan.
“Essentially, we're taking the entire aviation sector of the Iranian economy out of the market,” a senior US Treasury official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures are part of Washington’s “Operation Economic Outcast”, aimed at cutting off financial support for the Iranian government.
“We promised severe consequences for those providing financial lifelines to the Iranian regime,” Bessent said, warning that companies doing business with Iran’s remaining airlines could risk losing access to the global financial system.
The latest sanctions also target third-country companies accused of supporting Mahan Air, an Iranian carrier that Washington has previously accused of facilitating activities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the Treasury Department, the targeted entities include companies involved in Mahan Air’s international operations, cargo service providers, general sales agents, and firms accused of helping the airline procure US-origin aircraft.
The US Treasury official did not say whether companies in countries such as China could face secondary sanctions for supporting Iran’s aviation industry, but said Washington has several measures available against service providers.
The United States also imposed sanctions in July on individuals and companies it accused of assisting Mahan Air.
Iran’s aviation sector has faced extensive US sanctions for years, restricting the country’s ability to purchase aircraft, spare parts, and maintenance services.
The new measures come amid the ongoing US-Iran war that began in late February, when US and Israeli strikes targeted Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure. Tehran subsequently retaliated, including by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to a sharp rise in global oil prices as the conflict spread across the region.