US sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector go far beyond air links
By Delaram Ahmadi
Staff writer
The United States has recently imposed sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector with the stated objective of completely severing Iran’s access to international aviation services. In an interview with Iran Daily, international affairs analyst Abed Akbari argued that the geopolitical significance of these sanctions extends far beyond Iran’s aviation industry and should be understood as part of a broader contest over the limits of American power and the independence of state decision-making within the international system.
IRAN DAILY: What is the primary objective behind Washington’s decision? Is this move a prelude to heightened military pressure, or merely a tool to gain leverage in negotiations?
AKBARI: The purpose should not be viewed solely through an economic or technical lens. What is currently taking shape is part of a broader Washington strategy to transform its financial power and the global position of the dollar into instruments for imposing its will on third parties. The United States is seeking to force not only Iranian companies, but also airports, ground service providers, fuel suppliers, ticketing firms, and even financial networks in other countries into a binary choice: cooperate with Iran or face US sanctions.
From an international relations perspective, this approach can be understood as a form of “extra territorialization of sanction power.” The key issue is that Washington is attempting to make the independent decisions of foreign governments and companies subject to its sanctions regime, even though many of these sanctions are imposed not through the United Nations Security Council but through domestic US legislation. The central criticism, therefore, is not limited to sanctions on Iran itself; it also concerns America’s claim to determine the boundaries of other countries’ economic relations.
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