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WASHINGTON: The United States has imposed sanctions on all 27 remaining Iranian airlines, intensifying efforts to isolate Tehran economically as tensions escalate over the Strait of Hormuz. The Treasury Department announced sanctions on 36 targets connected to Iran's aviation sector through Operation Economic Outcast. These measures target 27 Iranian airlines, companies, and intermediaries in various countries.

The US claims these targets are part of networks facilitating the movement of weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo. Additionally, intermediaries aiding Iranian airlines in obtaining US-origin aircraft, spare parts, and sensitive aviation technology are under scrutiny. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned companies engaging with these sanctioned airlines that they risk being cut off from the US financial system.

This action solidifies a campaign to cut Iran off from international finance, aviation, and trade, aiming to cripple Tehran's access to the global economy. The US has specifically targeted Mahan Air for years due to alleged support for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Foreign companies have reportedly assisted Mahan in obtaining aircraft and aviation services despite existing sanctions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has dismissed the US sanctions as ineffective, asserting that decades of economic pressure have not compelled Tehran to alter its policies. As Iran already faces severe economic hardships, including currency shortages, rising prices, and disrupted oil exports, the latest sanctions heighten pressure on an economy already strained by sanctions, war, and oil export restrictions.

Beyond Iran's military and state-linked networks, the aviation sanctions could exacerbate difficulties in civilian air travel, aircraft maintenance, and the acquisition of spare parts, further crippling an aviation sector already grappling with US sanctions. This move also escalates tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian officials persistently threatening tighter restrictions on shipping while Washington strives to reopen the strategic waterway for free passage.