Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 27 Iranian airlines and nine foreign companies or individuals Tuesday as part of an effort to isolate Iran’s aviation industry from the international financial system.
The 36 designations were imposed through the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control under counterterrorism authorities and an executive order targeting sectors of Iran’s economy.
Treasury alleges Iran uses commercial airlines to transport weapons, military personnel and other cargo while relying on foreign intermediaries and front companies to acquire American-origin aircraft, components and technology.
“Let this be a warning to anyone doing business with Iran’s remaining airlines, all of which we sanctioned today: You are at risk of being cut off from the global financial system,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
The action designates 27 airlines for operating in Iran’s aviation sector. The carriers include Iran Aseman Airlines, Iran Air Tour, Kish Airlines, Qeshm Air, Saha Airlines, Sepehran Airlines, Taban Airlines and Zagros Airlines.
Treasury also sanctioned companies and individuals in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Kazakhstan for allegedly facilitating aircraft transfers, arranging cargo shipments or providing sales services for Mahan Air.
Mahan Air has been under U.S. sanctions since 2011. American authorities accuse the airline of providing support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force and assisting weapons proliferation and operations linked to terrorist organizations.
According to Treasury, Mahan Air received at least three Boeing 777 aircraft during summer 2026 through a transfer operation involving intermediaries in the UAE and Oman. The department said the aircraft came from a retired fleet and received temporary registrations before being transferred to the Iranian carrier.
Treasury sanctioned UAE-based ECT Aviation Support LLC and Turkey-based Sky Phoenix for allegedly participating in the transfers. It also designated ECT’s owner, Ibrahim Ali Mohamed Mohamed Mahran, a related British company and Aerobravo Airplane Management, which allegedly operated aircraft owned by ECT.
Four cargo and sales companies were also sanctioned. Treasury said Turkey-based S Sistem coordinated shipments of drone components and industrial equipment to Iran on behalf of Mahan Air. Mes Cargo, Malaysia-based Icargo and Kazakhstan-based Tour Invest allegedly provided cargo coordination or general sales services for the airline.
Alongside the sanctions, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued an alert to financial institutions. The notice identifies warning signs associated with Iranian attempts to obtain aircraft and parts through front companies in third countries.
OFAC also suspended three aviation-related authorizations, including provisions that permitted certain Iranian overflights and allowed foreign airlines to operate American-origin or American-controlled commercial aircraft into Iran. Treasury said aviation-safety requests may still be considered individually.
Property belonging to the sanctioned parties that is located in the United States or controlled by American persons must now be blocked and reported to OFAC. Companies owned 50 percent or more by designated parties are generally subject to the same restrictions.
U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions involving the sanctioned entities unless authorized by OFAC. Foreign financial institutions may also face secondary sanctions for knowingly facilitating significant transactions for designated parties.
The action is part of Operation Economic Outcast, a sanctions campaign announced in August targeting revenue sources and financial networks that the United States says support the Iranian government and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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