Oman, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Georgia have suspended air links with Iran after the United States threatened to shut down Iranian airlines’ operations worldwide, the Financial Times reports.
Oman and Azerbaijan have stopped accepting flights operated by Iranian airlines, while Iraq has banned flights to Baghdad in response to US sanctions on services linked to Iran’s aviation sector.
Meanwhile, Iranian airline Mahan Air has suspended flights to Istanbul, Ankara and Muscat. Georgia has also suspended commercial flights to Tbilisi.
Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States intends to secure the cessation of all Iranian airlines’ operations outside the country. This month, Washington imposed sanctions on dozens of airlines and other entities, accusing them of facilitating the transport of weapons and personnel for Iran.
Despite the restrictions, dozens of flights continued to depart on Wednesday from Tehran’s main airport, including to Istanbul and Dubai. However, passengers fear further cuts to international air links.
Iranian airlines, including the state-owned Iran Air, continued selling tickets for September and October. At the same time, Iranian civil aviation officials are in talks with Oman and Iraq to preserve certain routes. In particular, the option of rerouting flights from Baghdad to the city of Najaf is being considered.
There are particular concerns about Turkey, one of the main destinations for Iranian passengers. According to the FT, more than 3 million Iranian citizens visited Turkey last year, and around 80,000 Iranians hold residence permits there.