Washington, Sep 2026 : The US Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines, placing them on its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List as Washington intensifies economic pressure on Tehran and targets what it described as Iran’s aviation networks supporting destabilising activities.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Treasury Department alleged that Iranian commercial airlines have for years assisted the Iranian regime in activities that undermine regional stability. It said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has used ostensibly private airlines to procure and transport weapons and move personnel.
The United States first sanctioned Iranian carrier Mahan Air in October 2011. Since then, Washington has repeatedly expanded restrictions targeting companies and individuals allegedly involved in supporting the airline.
The latest measures also focus on what the Treasury described as covert front companies, foreign intermediaries and deceptive transshipment routes allegedly used by Iran to obtain US-origin aircraft and sensitive aviation technology.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) specifically designated four companies based in Türkiye, Malaysia and Kazakhstan. According to US authorities, the entities acted as cargo service providers or general sales agents for Mahan Air.
The new action also affects aviation operations involving Iran. OFAC has suspended authorisations that previously permitted certain overflights and allowed non-US airlines to operate US-origin or US-controlled commercial aircraft into Iran.
The Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has separately issued an alert urging financial institutions to identify and report procurement networks that support Iran’s aviation industry. The move is intended to make it more difficult for Tehran and entities linked to its aviation sector to access international financial channels and obtain restricted technology.
The Treasury Department said Mahan Air received at least three Boeing 777 aircraft during the summer of 2026, with the aircraft allegedly diverted through the United Arab Emirates and Oman. US authorities have increasingly focused on such routes as part of efforts to prevent sanctioned Iranian entities from acquiring aircraft and aviation-related equipment.
The sanctions come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and follow a series of confrontations involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, reiterated Tehran’s opposition to war while vowing continued resistance against what he called aggression.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian said Iran had consistently opposed war and believed that protecting the interests of its people and regional security required avoiding conflict. At the same time, he said Iran would continue its resistance with determination until those responsible for aggression were brought to what he described as complete regret.
The latest US sanctions are expected to further increase economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran as tensions over its military activities and regional policies remain high.
