Washington Imposes Sanctions on 36 Entities Supporting Iran’s Aviation Sector
Washington, Aug 8 (KUNA) – The United States announced on Tuesday the imposition of sanctions on 36 entities for supporting Iran’s aviation sector, as part of the “Economic Outlaw” campaign launched by Washington late last month to cut off all economic lifelines to the Iranian regime.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said that sanctions imposed by its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also targeted “covert front companies, foreign intermediaries, and indirect and misleading shipping channels relied upon by Iran to obtain U.S.-made aircraft and sensitive technologies.” It added that, in coordination with OFAC’s actions, the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an advisory requiring financial institutions to report purchasing networks that support Iran’s aviation industry.
The statement quoted U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, saying, “Under the Economic Outlaw campaign, we have pledged to impose severe consequences on those who provide financial lifelines to the Iranian regime. Today, we have fulfilled that pledge by sanctioning companies that continue to support Mahan Air, sending a clear warning to any entity dealing with the remaining Iranian airlines—all of which were sanctioned today—that you risk being cut off from the global financial system.”
The Treasury noted that OFAC’s measures also target “companies in other countries that facilitate proliferation activities, terrorism-related flights, and illicit purchases of U.S.-made aircraft on behalf of sanctioned Mahan Air.” It further highlighted that OFAC had suspended three aviation licenses related to Iran to exert additional pressure on the Iranian regime. These licenses had allowed flights over U.S. airspace and permitted non-U.S. airlines to operate commercial flights using U.S.-made or U.S.-controlled aircraft into Iran.
The Treasury emphasized that OFAC “will review applications concerning aviation safety on a case-by-case basis.” It affirmed that “any foreign company or individual that supports sanctioned Iranian airlines—whether through aircraft transfers, cargo services, or support for general sales agents—will face severe consequences for aiding the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.” It stressed that “any person providing assistance to Iran’s aviation sector will be held accountable, from providing general sales agent services to supporting Iran’s covert aircraft procurement schemes.”
The United States launched the “Economic Outlaw” campaign on August 24 last year to sever “every economic lifeline feeding the Iranian regime,” targeting sectors such as digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and maritime shipping. (End) R.S.R. / N.S.A.
