RismadarVoice Reporters
September 9, 2026
The United States has announced sweeping new sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector, including airlines, support companies and international networks accused of helping Tehran access aircraft, aviation equipment and related services.
The US Treasury Department announced 36 sanctions on Tuesday as part of Washington’s broader effort to increase economic pressure on Iran amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The measures are aimed at further restricting the operations of Iran’s largest airline, Mahan Air, which was already under US and European Union sanctions, while extending penalties to other Iranian airlines and companies allegedly involved in supporting the country’s aviation activities.
According to the Treasury Department, the sanctions also target front companies, cargo handlers, foreign intermediaries and alleged procurement networks that Iran uses to obtain US-origin aircraft, aviation technology and other sensitive equipment.
Financial institutions were instructed to report any activities linked to procurement networks supporting Iran’s aviation industry.
The US also designated companies and individuals in countries including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Kazakhstan, accusing them of assisting Iranian airlines and facilitating access to aviation resources.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) further suspended three Iran-related aviation authorisations that previously allowed certain overflights and permitted non-US airlines to operate US-origin or US-controlled aircraft into Iran.
US officials said the move would affect important aviation links connecting Iran with regional hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Istanbul, which serve as major routes for trade and financial activities.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned companies and individuals involved in supporting Iranian airlines that they risked losing access to the international financial system.
“Anyone doing business with Iran’s remaining airlines, all of which we sanctioned today, is at risk of being cut off from the global financial system,” Bessent said.
The latest action follows previous US measures against Iranian aviation networks, including sanctions imposed on Mahan Air over alleged links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Treasury Department said Tuesday’s sanctions included 27 Iranian airlines and several foreign firms accused of helping Mahan Air acquire aircraft and maintain international operations.
The measures also targeted aviation service providers in Turkey and Malaysia accused of supporting Mahan Air’s flights and cargo operations.
Analysts described the sanctions as a significant escalation of Washington’s economic campaign against Tehran.
Brett Erickson, managing principal at Obsidian Risk Advisors, said the sanctions represented a major expansion of economic pressure that could affect civilian travel, commerce, supply chains and Iran’s aviation capabilities.
The US government has continued increasing restrictions on Iran’s economy as tensions persist over regional security issues, oil exports and Tehran’s activities in the Middle East.
