US warns Iranian airlines face global operational shutdown (Img: X)
New York: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Iranian airlines could be effectively cut off from global operations from Wednesday. He also threatened foreign companies providing services to Tehran’s aviation sector could face secondary sanctions.
Speaking on Monday, Bessent said, “on September 23, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world”.
He added, “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 warning comes as the Trump administration intensifies its sanctions campaign to limit Iran’s access to international financial and commercial networks.
Earlier this month, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against additional Iranian airlines and companies outside Iran that it accused of supporting Tehran’s aviation sector.
Iran’s aviation industry has already been under US sanctions for years. The restrictions have made it difficult for Iranian carriers to obtain new aircraft and secure spare parts and maintenance services.
The latest measures form part of a wider US sanctions regime targeting Iran’s economy, including its energy, shipping, technology, gold and digital-asset sectors.
Secondary sanctions can expose foreign companies conducting business with sanctioned Iranian entities to restrictions on their access to the US financial system.
Bessent’s remarks came a day after talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China remains a key economic partner and diplomatic supporter of Iran, making Beijing’s cooperation relevant to Washington’s efforts to restrict Tehran’s access to international finance.
In an interview to CNBC, Bessent said Chinese officials had been “very engaged” in discussions over the US pressure campaign.
He also said Washington was holding positive discussions with Chinese financial authorities, including People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng, regarding compliance with US sanctions targeting Iran.
