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US Sanctions Cripple Iran Airlines: Flights Canceled, Economic D-Day Looms
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CNBC TV18•24-09-2026, 12:04
US Sanctions Cripple Iran Airlines: Flights Canceled, Economic D-Day Looms
- •Iranian airlines canceled international flights after the US tightened sanctions on Iran's aviation industry, impacting routes to Georgia, Azerbaijan, Baghdad, Muscat, and Qatar.
- •US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the new measures, stating the US is "squeezing the Iranians like they've never seen" and claiming 80-90% of external flights from Iran were shut down.
- •Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, attending the UN General Assembly, vowed that Iran's resistance would intensify against US sanctions and pressure.
- •Despite sanctions, a Mahan Air flight landed in Guangzhou, China, which opposes the US measures, and other flights to China and Istanbul were scheduled.
- •Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's supreme national security council, warned neighboring countries against complying with US sanctions, threatening reciprocal action.
Key Questions Answered
Georgia and Azerbaijan officially confirmed suspending flights following the tightening of US sanctions on Iran's aviation industry. Additionally, a travel agent in Tehran reported that flights to Baghdad, Muscat, and Qatar were halted.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that probably more than 80 or 90 percent of external flights from Iran were shut down as a result of the newly implemented measures.
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone, stating that the resistance of the Iranian people will only intensify in the face of U.S. sanctions, mounting pressure, and growing intimidation.
