US aviation sanctions disrupt Iran flights, push travellers overland

Tehran, Iran – Travel is becoming increasingly difficult for Iranian civilians as United States sanctions shut domestic airlines out of much of the world’s airspace and international carriers continue to avoid the country.The US Department of the Treasury designated 27 airlines on September 8, covering the remaining Iranian carriers that had not previously been sanctioned by Washington. Major names like Iran Air and Mahan are among those already heavily sanctioned, but have continued limited operations.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Milei says UN ‘looking the other way’ on Falkland Islands disputelist 2 of 3As major powers act unilaterally, experts say UN faces crisis in New Yorklist 3 of 3US judge delays ruling on White House ban of CNN, MS NOW, Politicoend of listRecent designations have also targeted individuals and entities linked to aviation support and procurement in the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, China, India, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and elsewhere.Airports and companies that provide Iranian-operated aeroplanes with fuel, landing services, or ticket sales risk secondary US sanctions that could cut them off from the US financial system, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday.

It is the latest attempt to squeeze Iran and force it to make concessions amid the US-Israel war on Iran.Wednesday marked the expiry of a short wind-down period allowing countries to stop servicing Iranian carriers, leading to the cancellation of all but a handful of Iranian flights to Turkiye, UAE and China.Aviation authorities in several neighbouring countries that had continued to allow Iranian airlines to use their airspace and airport services would no longer be providing them, including Oman, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. In Iraq, Baghdad Airport was declared off-limits to Iranian carriers, but flights to Najaf Airport were still operating on Wednesday.Many flights between Iran and major transit hubs in Turkiye and the UAE had already been suspended because of the war and sanctions.

First reported by Al Jazeera English.