The United States has intensified efforts to restrict Iran’s economic ties with other countries, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying Washington has deployed teams around the world to pressure governments to limit their dealings with Tehran.
Bessent said the diplomatic campaign was focused on restricting Iran’s access to international aviation and banking networks as Washington expands sanctions against the country.
“At my direction, teams were dispatched across the globe to engage with countries and demand action against the Iranian regime,” Bessent said in a post on X. “These efforts are delivering results.”
He said Turkey and Oman had halted incoming flights operated by Iranian private carrier Mahan Air, while the United Arab Emirates had stopped flights operated by Iranian airlines.
The UAE, particularly Dubai, has traditionally been an important destination for Iranian carriers because of its large Iranian community and strong commercial ties with Iran.
Iran’s ISNA news agency, citing officials, reported that Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Oman and the UAE had revoked flight permissions for Iranian airlines.
However, it said flights to China and Russia were still operating, as the two countries have not joined Washington’s pressure campaign.
Iran Air and Mahan Air continued services to those destinations, while flights to Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Malaysia, Pakistan and Tajikistan also remained available.
Mahan Air had earlier announced that it would suspend flights to Turkey following a request from Turkish authorities. Airport records, however, showed that flights between Iran and Turkey were still operating through Iran Air and other Iranian carriers.
Bessent had previously warned that Iranian airlines would face international restrictions, saying all Iranian airlines would be “shut down around the world.”
Beyond aviation, the US Treasury has also targeted Iran’s banking connections.
The United Arab Emirates’ central bank recently blocked transactions involving branches of Iran’s Bank Melli, citing alleged breaches related to money laundering, terrorism financing and arms proliferation regulations.
Turkey also revoked the licence of Iran’s Bank Mellat, a financial institution that has faced Western sanctions for years.
A Wall Street Journal report shared by Bessent said US Treasury official Jonathan Burke had travelled across the Middle East and Europe to build support for the measures.
The report said Treasury officials had engaged with more than 50 countries as part of the campaign.
Washington’s latest measures represent a broad effort to restrict Iran’s economic connections abroad, particularly its access to international transport and financial networks.
Tehran has previously criticised US sanctions as politically motivated and has sought to maintain trade and transport links with countries willing to continue economic cooperation.
The latest pressure comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and wider efforts by the US to restrict Iran’s international economic activities.
