Iranian Airlines Cancel Flights as US Sanctions Take Effect

Iranian airlines cancelled several international flights on Wednesday after the United States tightened sanctions targeting the country’s aviation sector, in a fresh attempt to put pressure on Iran’s economy.

A travel agent in Tehran told AFP that flights to Baghdad, Muscat, Qatar, Georgia and Azerbaijan had been suspended, while services to several other destinations, including China, continued to operate.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the new sanctions on Monday, following an earlier warning of an “economic D-Day” aimed at forcing Iran into submission after nearly seven months of war.

Iran’s aviation industry has faced US sanctions for years, however, and the extent of the latest measures remains uncertain, particularly over whether other countries will enforce them.

Despite the sanctions taking effect on Wednesday, a Mahan Air flight from Tehran landed in Guangzhou, China, according to FlightRadar24 tracking data. China had rejected the US measures on Tuesday, calling them illegal. Another flight to Shanghai was also scheduled to depart from Tehran’s international airport.

Some flights to Istanbul remained scheduled, although others were cancelled, the Tehran-based travel agent said.

“The situation is unstable and we are no longer selling tickets for the time being for fear of cancellations,” the agent, who requested anonymity, told AFP.

Other international connections also remained available. A Mahan Air flight from Kabul was expected to arrive in Tehran around midday, while smaller Iranian carriers such as Varesh continued to operate some routes to Turkey and Armenia. Flights to Najaf in Iraq and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates were also scheduled.

Bessent said Monday that Washington would seek to “shut down” Iranian airlines and impose penalties on companies and countries that continue doing business with them.

“If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” he warned.

The measures are expected to make international travel more difficult for Iranians seeking to leave the country or return home.

Pilgrims affected

Iranian media also reported flight cancellations. The Tasnim news agency, citing an Iranian civil aviation spokesman, reported Tuesday that airports in Baghdad and Muscat “will no longer accept” Iranian flights.

Other international services, including flights to Istanbul, were expected to operate normally, Tasnim reported.

Iranian aviation authorities were reportedly discussing plans to reroute flights to Baghdad through Najaf, a major destination for Iranian pilgrims.

In Iraq, several sources, including a senior government official, told AFP that Baghdad would comply with the US sanctions, although the Iraqi government had not publicly announced measures to enforce the restrictions.

The possible suspension of flights between Iran and Iraq has raised concerns among travel agents, particularly in Najaf, home to one of the most revered Shia Muslim shrines.

Travel agent Haidar Shamaa said most travel companies in Najaf rely heavily on bookings for flights to Iranian airports.

Several agencies said worried passengers had been calling for updates and considering switching to land routes, which would result in significantly longer journeys.