Iranian carrier Mahan Air will suspend all flights to Turkiye beginning September 21, halting its services between Tehran and İstanbul and Ankara until further notice as sweeping US sanctions are putting growing pressure on its aviation sector.
The decision comes less than two weeks after the US Treasury Department imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector, targeting 27 Iranian airlines as well as foreign companies accused of providing aircraft, cargo, sales and other services to Iranian carriers.
Mahan Air was already under US sanctions, but the latest measures targeted companies in Turkiye and other countries accused of working with the airline. They also increased the risk of US penalties for foreign companies that continue providing services to sanctioned Iranian carriers.
The last flights on the two routes are scheduled for September 20, according to notices sent by the airline to travel agencies.
Mahan Air attributed the decision to instructions from the relevant aviation authorities in Turkey but did not provide further details or cite the US sanctions, the Financial Times reported.
The Tehran-based airline also suspended flights between Tehran and Muscat on September 17 and plans to halt its services to Georgia on September 21.
"According to the announcement by the aviation authorities of the Sultanate of Oman, Mahan Air flights on the Tehran–Muscat–Tehran route will be canceled starting from September 17 until further notice, the company said in a statement.
The aviation sanctions could also make it harder to maintain U.S.-made planes used by Iranian airlines.
The Treasury suspended licenses that allowed payments to the Iranian government for U.S. aircraft flying over Iran or forced to make emergency landings there; that allowed planes flying to or from Iran to receive some goods or services in the United States; and that allowed the export of goods or services to Iran to ensure the safety of U.S.-made planes. The Treasury said that it would “consider aviation safety-related requests on a case-by-case basis.”
The Treasury also paused a broad license that had allowed U.S.-made civilian aircraft, or civilian aircraft made up of 10% or more U.S. parts, to be flown to Iran.
Because the vast majority of the world’s civilian airliner fleet falls into those categories, sanctions experts said, foreign airlines will now have to apply for a license from the U.S. government if they want to maintain their routes into Iran.
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