Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Sep 22: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Iranian airlines could be effectively shut out of international aviation from Wednesday, Sep 23, as Washington threatens foreign companies with secondary sanctions if they continue providing services to the carriers.
“On September 23, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,” Bessent told CNBC on Monday, according to reports.
The warning applies not only to Iranian airlines but also to airports, fuel suppliers, ticketing companies and other businesses that provide services to the carriers. Bessent said companies that continue servicing Iranian airlines could risk losing access to the US dollar financial system.
“If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” Bessent said, according to Al Jazeera.
The latest warning follows a new round of US sanctions targeting Iran's aviation sector earlier this month. The US Treasury has expanded its sanctions campaign beyond Iranian airlines to entities accused of supporting Iran's aviation industry, as part of a broader effort to restrict Tehran's access to international finance and trade.
The pressure is already affecting Iranian air connections. Two Iraqi government sources told AFP that Baghdad would suspend flights by Iranian airlines following the US announcement. Georgia has also barred Iranian carriers, while Iranian airline Mahan Air said it had suspended services to Turkey at the request of the Turkish government.
Turkey has also taken other financial measures affecting Iranian interests. Its banking regulator revoked the operating licence of Iran's Bank Mellat branch in Istanbul on September 18, although the official notice did not specifically cite US sanctions as the reason. The decision came amid increased US pressure on countries maintaining economic links with Tehran.
Iran's aviation sector has faced years of restrictions that have made it difficult for airlines to obtain new aircraft, spare parts and maintenance services. The latest US measures are aimed at further limiting the ability of Iranian carriers to operate internationally by pressuring foreign companies that provide essential aviation services.
The aviation restrictions form part of a wider US sanctions campaign against Iran. Washington has expanded secondary sanctions to sectors including shipping, energy, gold, technology and digital assets in an effort to limit Tehran's access to international financial networks.
Bessent has also described Washington's broader economic pressure on Iran as an effort to cut off the country's financial lifelines. On September 16, the US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network held a meeting with global financial institutions as part of the administration's campaign to disrupt Iranian revenue and procurement networks.
Bessent's latest remarks came after talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24. Iran's economic relationship with China is significant because Beijing remains a major economic partner for Tehran.
Bessent said Chinese officials had been engaged in discussions with Washington over the US campaign against Iran and that talks with Chinese financial authorities, including People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng, had been constructive.
The latest measures come as the US-Iran conflict continues into its seventh month. The conflict has disrupted energy markets and regional transport, while the Strait of Hormuz remains a major point of concern for global energy supplies. Reuters reported on September 22 that oil prices remained volatile amid expectations of possible diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran.
The extent to which Iranian airlines will be able to maintain international operations after September 23 will depend partly on whether foreign airports, fuel providers, ticketing companies and other service providers continue to work with them despite the threat of US secondary sanctions.