US Treasury Secretary: Iranian airlines will cease operations worldwide starting tomorrow

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that “all Iranian airlines will cease operations worldwide” starting tomorrow, September 23. The US minister clarified that this measure results from the threat of imposing secondary sanctions on aviation service providers, affirming that his country is proceeding with its economic containment of Iran. He noted that when an Iranian plane lands at any airport, “you cannot refuel it, provide landing services, or sell tickets to it, otherwise you will be excluded from the US dollar-based financial system,” according to his statement.

In an interview with the US network CNBC, Bessent said he “cannot say how long the conflict” with Tehran will last.

In this context, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz affirmed that President Trump is open to talks with Iran and reaching a peace agreement. However, he stated that “the Iranians must come to the negotiating table in good faith and speak on behalf of the Supreme Leader.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to continuing mediation between Washington and Tehran to achieve a peaceful settlement, amid escalating mutual threats and ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent the region from sliding into a new round of confrontation.

In a statement yesterday, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Islamabad believes disputed issues should be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy, reaffirming its commitment to its mediator role and efforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Iran and the United States. It added that “our mediation between America and Iran reflects our commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue.” The ministry also emphasized that its good relations with the parties involved enable it to continue this role, as reported by Al Arabiya News.

This coincided with the visit of Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to the Iranian capital, Tehran, where he met his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Moeini. The official Iranian news agency (IRNA) reported that the Pakistani official is on a two-day visit to the country, while Pakistani government sources indicated that Naqvi’s talks would cover regional developments and bilateral relations, as well as efforts to revive stalled talks between Tehran and Washington.

Conversely, Iranian sources stated that the Pakistani minister’s visit focuses on bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries, confirming that he carries no American message to Tehran and will not convey an Iranian message to Washington, according to Tasnim News Agency.

Separately, the news website Axios reported that US officials confirmed President Donald Trump had considered issuing an order to launch a strike against the Houthis before deciding to hold off for now. A US official also told the website that the commander of US Central Command had prepared options for airstrikes in Yemen, but Trump decided to pause on them.