Iran's Mahan Air Suspends International Routes Amid U.S. Sanctions
Mahan Air suspends key international flights to Turkey and Oman amid tightening U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's aviation sector, severely limiting outbound travel options.
Mahan Air, one of Iran's major airlines, is suspending flights on several international routes amid tightening U.S. sanctions, according to a report by the Financial Times. The company announced to travel agencies the suspension of flights to Istanbul and Ankara, as well as routes between Tehran and Muscat in Oman.
Impact of U.S. Sanctions
While Mahan Air did not officially cite the reasons in its notices to agencies, attributing the halt to decisions by aviation authorities in Turkey and Oman, the move follows recent U.S. Treasury Department actions. The Treasury imposed sanctions on 36 entities for allegedly supporting Iran's aviation sector, which Washington accuses of facilitating the transport of weapons and regime officials. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned of further penalties for any entity continuing to do business with Iranian carriers.
Isolation of Iranian Aviation
Turkey and Oman serve as key business and transit hubs for Iranians, but travel agents warn that further cancellations are expected. Meanwhile, domestic carriers continue to struggle. Taher Abdolahai, CEO of Iran Air, noted in an interview that the pressure on the local aviation industry is spreading rapidly, leaving the national carrier with only nine operational aircraft.
The pressure on our local aviation industry is spreading like metastatic cancer, leaving us with severely limited operational capacity.
As foreign airlines have largely avoided Iran, the latest restrictions further limit outbound travel options for Iranian citizens, compounding decades of underinvestment and safety challenges.
