US Sanctions Threaten to Ground Iranian Airlines Globally by September 23
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that all Iranian airlines will be effectively shut out of international operations starting September 23. The move targets not just carriers but the entire support chain, including fuel suppliers and ticketing firms, threatening them with exclusion from the US dollar system. This escalation, part of 'Operation Economic Outcast,' aims to squeeze Tehran’s economy amid ongoing US-Israel-Iran tensions. While Turkey and Iraq have already suspended flights, analysts expect resistance from China, Russia, and Pakistan due to strong trade ties. The sanctions could ground a third of Iran’s aging fleet and drastically increase travel costs for millions of Iranians.
