Iranian airlines canceled some international flights on Wednesday following tightened U.S. sanctions aimed at crippling Iran's aviation industry and economy. Georgia, Azerbaijan, and travel agencies in Tehran reported suspensions of flights to Baghdad, Muscat, and Qatar, though routes to China remained operational. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the measures as part of a broader strategy to pressure Iran into compliance after nearly seven months of conflict. In response, Iran’s supreme national security council head, Mohsen Rezaei, warned neighboring countries against complying with sanctions and threatened reciprocal actions.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 21, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that starting from September 23, Iranian airlines would be unable to function globally due to American sanctions. This announcement came seven months into the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes in February that killed Iran's supreme leader and senior military officials.
The sanctions will prohibit any country or company from providing services such as fueling, landing rights, or ticket sales to Iranian airlines; violators face expulsion from the dollar system. In response, Iraq has suspended all flights by Iranian carriers starting at midnight on September 23, affecting airports in Baghdad and Najaf. Other countries like Georgia have also banned Iranian flights.
Iran's aviation industry, already under significant sanctions pressure for years, is now facing a near-complete shutdown as the conflict escalates. Tehran has warned that it might retaliate against non-compliant nations, threatening regional aviation stability if its airlines are further restricted from accessing airports globally.
Written for “US Sanctions On Iran Airlines” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Iranian airlines were forced to cancel some international flights on Wednesday after the U.S. tightened sanctions on Iran’s aviation industry in a new effort to cripple its economy.
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U.S. → force → economy
Georgia and Azerbaijan have officially confirmed suspending flights, and a travel agent in Tehran told AFP that flights to Baghdad, Muscat and Qatar were also halted, though routes to other destinations remained available, including China.
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routes → confirm → China
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the new measures on Monday as part of an earlier threat to impose “economic D-Day” on Iran, an attempt to force it into submission following nearly seven months of war.
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Bessent → announce → war
But Iran’s aviation sector has already been a target of sanctions for years, and it remains to be seen which other countries will comply.
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countries → remain → years
On Wednesday, the head of Iran’s top national security body threatened reciprocal action against those that do.
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that → threaten → those
Even after the new sanctions took effect on Wednesday, a flight from Tehran operated by Mahan Air, one of Iran’s biggest carriers, landed in Guangzhou in China, according to tracking data from FlightRadar24.
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flight → take → FlightRadar24
China said on Tuesday that it opposed the US sanctions, calling them illegal.
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it → say → them
A flight to Shanghai was also due to depart on Wednesday, according to Tehran’s international airport.
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flight → depart → airport
Some flights to Istanbul were also scheduled, though others had been cancelled, the travel agent in Tehran told AFP.
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agent → schedule → AFP
“The situation is unstable and we are no longer selling tickets for the time being for fear of cancellations,” the agent said, requesting anonymity.
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agent → sell → anonymity
A Mahan flight from Kabul was also expected to arrive in Tehran.
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flight → expect → Tehran
According to the website for Tehran’s international airport, other connections to Turkey and Armenia remained possible using smaller Iranian airlines, including Varesh.
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connections → accord → Varesh
Flights to Najaf in Iraq and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates were also scheduled.
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Flights → schedule → Emirates
Bessent had vowed on Monday to “shut down” Iranian carriers, saying anyone doing business with them “will be knocked out of the dollar system”.
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anyone → vow → system
Mohsen Rezaei, the head of Iran’s supreme national security council, warned neighbouring countries not to comply.
“If a country cooperates with or embarks on adventures with the United States, its airports will no longer be able to operate flights” to Iran, he said in an interview with state TV.
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he → warn → TV
Iranian media also reported cancellations, with the Tasnim news agency on Tuesday citing a civil aviation spokesman as saying that Baghdad and Muscat airports “will no longer accept” Iranian flights.
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airports → report → flights
The agency added that “other international flights, including Istanbul, will operate as scheduled”.
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flights → add → Istanbul
According to Tasnim, Iran’s aviation authorities were in talks to reroute Baghdad flights to Najaf, a major destination for Iranian pilgrims.
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authorities → accord → pilgrims
On Wednesday, the agency said its correspondent in Najaf had reported Iranian flights to the city were running as normal.
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flights → say → city
It quoted a source at the airport as saying no order had been received from Iraqi authorities to halt flights.
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order → quote → flights
While the Iraqi government has not announced plans to enforce the ban, several sources including a senior government official told AFP that Baghdad would comply with the US measures.
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Baghdad → announce → measures
The prospect of a suspension of flights between the two countries has sparked concerns among some Iraqi travel agents, with one in Najaf, Haidar Shamaa, saying “most travel companies in the city depend on booking flights” to Iranian airports.
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companies → spark → airports
Several travel agencies said panicked clients were calling for updates and were considering switching to land routes, which would mean much longer journeys.
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which → say → journeys
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