The United States expanded Iran aviation sanctions to 36 targets, including airlines, intermediaries and cargo-service providers, as Washington intensified pressure on Tehran’s access to aircraft and aviation technology. The action was announced by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
According to the Treasury Department’s sanctions announcement, 27 Iranian airlines were designated for operating in Iran’s aviation sector. OFAC also targeted third-country companies that the department alleges supported Mahan Air or helped procure U.S.-origin aircraft and components.
How Iran Aviation Sanctions Widen Global Compliance Risks
Treasury suspended three Iran-related aviation authorizations, including permissions involving overflights and the use of U.S.-origin or U.S.-controlled commercial aircraft by non-U.S. airlines flying into Iran. The department said aviation-safety requests would still be considered individually.
The action also included companies and individuals in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, Malaysia and Kazakhstan. Treasury alleged that some entities acted as intermediaries, general sales agents or cargo providers for sanctioned Iranian airlines. Those assertions represent the U.S. government’s basis for the designations.
The broader Iran aviation sanctions raise compliance exposure for aircraft owners, lessors, maintenance providers, freight companies, insurers and financial institutions dealing with the named parties. The practical impact will depend on enforcement and on how quickly international counterparties cut services. The accompanying FinCEN alert asks financial institutions to monitor red flags associated with Iranian efforts to procure aircraft and parts through concealed end users and transshipment routes.
