US threatens sanctions pressure to shut Iranian airlines out of global aviation
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says foreign aviation providers supporting Iranian carriers could face secondary sanctions and lose access to the US dollar system from 23 September.
The United States has threatened to restrict Iranian airlines’ access to international aviation services from 23 September, extending its sanctions campaign to the foreign businesses that help them operate.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on 21 September that “all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world” from Wednesday. He warned that airports, fuel suppliers, ticketing companies and other service providers could face secondary sanctions if they continue supporting the carriers.
Bessent said foreign businesses would risk being excluded from the US dollar system if they provided Iranian airlines with landing services, fuel or ticket sales. The Treasury has not identified specific airlines, airports or companies targeted by the warning.
The threat follows US sanctions imposed earlier in September on remaining Iranian airlines and companies accused of supporting Iran’s aviation sector. Existing measures have already made it difficult for Iranian carriers to obtain aircraft, spare parts and maintenance services.
Bessent’s warning came after discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and as Washington engages Chinese financial authorities on sanctions compliance. China is a major Iranian economic partner and diplomatic backer.
The material describes a US policy threat rather than confirmed global grounding. It remains unclear how broadly the measures would be applied, or whether they would prevent Iranian airlines from operating worldwide.
