All Iranian commercial airlines face a complete global operational shutdown beginning Wednesday, September 23, under the weight of newly targeted U.S. sanctions, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday. ​
Speaking in an interview with news network CNBC on the morning of September 21, Secretary Bessent issued a stern warning to foreign airports, aviation vendors, and financial institutions worldwide, stating that servicing Iranian carriers will trigger immediate exclusion from the U.S. dollar system.
​”On September 23, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,” Bessent said. “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.”
​The strict secondary sanctions mark an expansion of the Trump administration’s ongoing “Operation Economic Outcast” campaign. The strategy follows an initial Treasury Department action on September 8 through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which designated 36 targets including 27 Iranian airlines and various foreign support networks across Malaysia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. ​
By threatening international entities with secondary sanctions, Washington is cutting off essential ground operations for Iranian carriers. Foreign hubs risk losing access to U.S. dollar clearing mechanisms if they facilitate landing rights, passenger ticketing, or refuel aircraft belonging to flagged entities.
​International regional reactions began materializing shortly after Secretary Bessent’s announcement on Monday. Iraqi government sources confirmed to AFP in Baghdad that the country will suspend all flights operated by Iranian airlines. Officials in Tbilisi barred Iranian air carriers from utilizing Georgian airspace and land operations.
Iranian carrier Mahan Air officially announced the suspension of its flights to Turkey following formal requests from Turkish aviation authorities. ​The announcement coincided with high-level diplomatic talks in New York.
Secretary Bessent made the comments a day after meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to lay the groundwork for an upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. ​
Addressing China’s role as one of Iran’s primary economic and trade partners, Bessent noted during the broadcast that Chinese officials have been “very engaged” regarding U.S. economic pressure tactics.
​”We’ve seen enablers throughout the world,” Bessent warned. “We know who they are. They know who they are, and we are putting a stop to it.”
