Iran says foreign flights still operating despite US pressure
Beijing rejects Washington’s ‘illegal’ sanctions threats
Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said on Tuesday that no international flights operated by Iranian airlines had been canceled and that services were continuing as scheduled, a day before new US sanctions are due to take effect against the country’s aviation sector.
“None of the international flights operated by Iranian airlines has been canceled so far and they are being carried out according to schedule,” Civil Aviation Organization spokesman Majid Akhavan told ISNA.
Akhavan said Iranian authorities were holding talks and making plans to maintain flight services amid recent restrictions.
Iran Air, the country’s national carrier, also said on Tuesday it had received no notification or official instruction from the civil aviation authorities of Turkey, Azerbaijan or Iraq to halt or suspend its flights to Istanbul, Baku and Najaf.
The statements came as the US prepares to tighten pressure on Iranian aviation. Earlier this month, Washington imposed sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines as part of a broader sanctions package unveiled on Aug. 24, which threatens secondary penalties against countries or entities maintaining trade ties with Tehran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that all Iranian airlines would be shut down from Sept. 23 through the threat of secondary sanctions against foreign aviation service providers. He said providers could lose access to the US dollar system if they fuel Iranian aircraft, provide landing services or sell tickets for Iranian carriers.
It was not immediately clear what would change in practice today, given that Iran’s aviation sector has already been subject to years of US sanctions.
Iran Air and Mahan Air, a private carrier, are the two main Iranian airlines operating international routes, mainly to neighboring countries as well as Russia and China.
China opposition
China on Tuesday rejected the latest US sanctions against Iranian airlines, calling unilateral sanctions without a basis in international law or authorization from the UN Security Council illegal.
“China consistently opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorization from the UN Security Council,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.
The comments came days before a scheduled summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping and shortly after Bessent met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for economic talks.
Bessent said in a televised interview on Monday that “all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world” within days and warned foreign aviation hubs and companies that provide fuel, landing services or ticket sales to Iranian carriers that they could be excluded from the US dollar system.