US Treasury Secretary: Iranian airlines to cease global operations from September 23

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that all Iranian airlines will cease operations worldwide starting September 23, as part of an escalation of U.S. economic pressure on Tehran. Bessent’s remarks come within the context of an “economic isolation” campaign launched by the U.S. Treasury Department last August, aimed at tightening financial and commercial isolation of Iran and targeting sectors that serve as sources of revenue or support for the Iranian government. On September 8, the Treasury Department announced sanctions on 36 targets linked to Iran’s aviation sector, a move it said aims at all remaining Iranian airlines, as well as front companies, intermediaries, and networks used by Tehran to acquire aircraft and sensitive technologies.