The Trump administration on Tuesday levied new sanctions on aspects of Iran's aviation industry, targeting more than two dozen commercial and private airlines and foreign cargo service providers. The move is part of an ongoing effort to isolate Tehran by cutting off its remaining trading partners and financial lifelines.
These latest penalties focus on the remaining segments of Iran's aviation sector, which has faced U.S. sanctions for years. According to a press release from the Treasury Department, the sanctions are intended to sever "critical financial lifelines" for the Iranian government.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, "Let this be a warning to anyone doing business with Iran’s remaining airlines, all of which we sanctioned today: You are at risk of being cut off from the global financial system." The administration accused the 36 entities targeted of supporting the Islamic Republic's efforts to utilize its aviation sector for the transport of weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo.
The U.S. also claimed that private entities based in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, and Malaysia have provided parts and logistics services to Mahan Air. This airline has been under U.S. counterterrorism sanctions since 2019 due to its alleged support for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which the State Department has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.