Pressure mounts on Iran’s aviation and financial sectors as rial continues to weaken sharply.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Turkey and Oman have stopped Mahan Air flights, while the UAE has suspended operations by Iranian airlines.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have also halted flights operated by Iranian carriers, adding to the growing restrictions on Iran’s aviation sector.
Mahan Air has also removed routes to India and Malaysia from its listings, despite neither country publicly announcing a ban on the Iranian carrier.
The US Treasury had given airlines and aviation service providers until September 23, 2026, to stop providing services to Iran Air and Mahan Air, warning that those continuing to do so could risk losing access to the US dollar system.
China, however, rejected the sanctions, describing them as “illegal”.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports indicated that Mahan Air continued operating cargo flights between China and Tehran. CBS News reported that the airline’s cargo activity on the route was running at around twice its pre-war level this month.
US measures cover 27 Iranian airlines
The US deadline applies to 27 designated Iranian airlines as part of a broader set of measures targeting 36 entities in the aviation sector announced in August.
The restrictions are adding further strain to Iran’s aviation and financial sectors at a time when the country’s currency is experiencing a sharp decline in value.
Iran’s national security chief, meanwhile, warned that countries complying with the measures could face disruptions at their own airports.
Bessent also said major banks in Turkey and the UAE had stopped processing transactions involving Iran following pressure from the United States.
He thanked Turkey, Oman, the UAE and Britain for their cooperation, saying the US campaign was “delivering results”.
Travellers booked to fly with Iran Air or Mahan Air, particularly those with connecting journeys through regional hubs such as Dubai or Doha, are advised to confirm their flight status before heading to the airport.
| Country | Iranian airlines/services affected | Date announced | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | All Iranian airlines | Sept. 24, 2026 | The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority suspended flights operated by Iranian airlines to and from the country until further notice, citing the new US sanctions. |
| Oman | Iranian airlines, including Mahan Air | Sept. 22–24 | Iranian authorities said Muscat airport would stop accepting Iranian flights from midnight on Sept. 23. Mahan Air had already cancelled Tehran-Muscat services from Sept. 17. Reuters later reported that Iranian carriers had been barred from Oman. |
| Georgia | Iranian airlines, including Mahan Air | Sept. 23, 2026 | Georgia suspended Iranian airline operations as the latest US aviation sanctions took effect. Mahan Air had earlier announced that its Georgia services would be suspended from Sept. 21. |
| Azerbaijan | Iranian airlines | Sept. 23, 2026 | Iranian flights to Azerbaijan were suspended amid implementation of the US measures. Iran Air had said a day earlier that its Baku services were continuing and that it had not received an official suspension notice at that time. |
| Iraq | Iranian airlines serving Baghdad, with Najaf, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah later affected | Sept. 22–26, 2026 | Baghdad stopped accepting Iranian flights from midnight on Sept. 23. Iran sought to redirect some services to Najaf, while later reports indicated restrictions affecting additional Iraqi destinations. Iraq was seeking an exemption from the US measures. |
| Turkey | Iranian airlines | Sept. 18, 2026 | Mahan Air announced that Istanbul and Ankara services would be suspended from Sept. 21, with final flights operating on Sept. 20. Iran Air said on Sept. 22 that its Istanbul flights remained operational and that it had received no official suspension order from Turkish aviation authorities. |
Mahan Air announced on Sept. 18 that it would suspend flights to Istanbul and Ankara from Sept. 21, with its final services operating on Sept. 20.
Iran Air, however, said on Sept. 22 that its Istanbul flights were continuing, adding that it had not received any official order from Turkish aviation authorities to suspend operations.
China has not joined the reported flight restrictions. Iranian carriers have reportedly continued operating some services to China, while Beijing has opposed the US sanctions, describing them as “unlawful”.
Iraq halts Iranian flights
Baghdad stopped accepting Iranian flights from midnight on Sept. 23. Iran subsequently explored redirecting Baghdad-bound services to Najaf, but later reports indicated that restrictions had expanded to several other Iraqi destinations, according to Al Arabiya.
Iraqi aviation sources cited by Reuters said the suspension in Baghdad followed government instructions amid US sanctions pressure on airports providing services to Iranian carriers.
Najaf initially emerged as a possible alternative for flights that could no longer operate to Baghdad, with early reports suggesting services there might continue.
However, that option was later closed when Najaf suspended flights to and from Iran at 2am on Sept. 25, according to Iran International, effectively ending the proposed diversion.
Erbil and Sulaymaniyah subsequently suspended Iranian flights from Friday, bringing all four Iraqi airports handling Iranian traffic — Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah — under restrictions, Reuters reported.
On Sept. 26, the Iraqi prime minister’s office said Baghdad was holding direct discussions with the United States to seek exemptions for certain airports. The proposed exemptions would allow Iranian flights to resume for humanitarian purposes, including medical treatment, education, religious travel and other civilian needs.
European Union restrictions differ
The European Union already has aviation restrictions affecting certain Iranian carriers, but these measures are separate from the September 2026 suspensions introduced by several countries following the latest US sanctions.
The EU Air Safety List, updated in May 2026, included Iran Aseman Airlines among carriers prohibited from operating within EU airspace. Iran Air, meanwhile, remained subject to operational restrictions limiting the types of aircraft it could use for services to the bloc.
Strait of Hormuz remains key to negotiations
The Strait of Hormuz continues to be a central issue in the dispute.
Iran has tied the reopening of the strategic waterway to the fulfilment of its conditions, while Washington has rejected Tehran’s efforts to use access to the strait as leverage in negotiations.
The crisis has caused significant disruption to shipping and global energy flows. However, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that oil shipments through Hormuz were averaging nearly 13 million barrels per day, with volumes surpassing pre-war levels on at least one day last week.
The figures indicate a more complex picture than suggestions that the strategic waterway has been entirely closed or left without maritime traffic.
China backs diplomatic efforts
China has also been pushing for a diplomatic path to resolve the crisis. President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump last week that Beijing supported a return to the June Islamabad agreement, which was intended to bring an end to the conflict and facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Beijing’s involvement provides an additional diplomatic channel as Qatar continues its efforts to narrow differences between the United States and Iran.
What could happen next
Attention now turns to whether Washington will deliver a formal response to Tehran through mediators and whether its position will differ from Trump’s public rejection of Iran’s terms.
Iran continues to maintain its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States is keeping up military and economic pressure on Tehran.
For now, diplomatic channels remain active despite both sides publicly rejecting each other’s terms. The prospect of renewed negotiations therefore remains open, even as tensions persist and preparations for a possible further military escalation continue.
