Iran Air says not informed of any flight ban despite US announcement

Tehran's national airline, Iran Air, declared on Tuesday that it had not received any official notice of a ban on serving neighboring countries, despite the US announcing tightened sanctions against the Iranian aviation sector. The statement from the airline, carried by the state news agency IRNA, confirmed that it had not received any notification or formal instruction from the civil aviation authorities of Turkey, Azerbaijan, or Iraq regarding the suspension or cessation of flights to Istanbul, Baku, and Najaf.

Earlier this month, the US imposed sanctions on the Iranian aviation sector and threatened penalties against any organization collaborating with Iran's airlines. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent informed CNBC on Monday that Iranian airlines would encounter difficulties starting from Wednesday due to the weight of American sanctions.

It remains uncertain what changes will occur on the specified date, considering that the Iranian aviation sector has been under various sanctions for years. Iran operates 27 airlines, with most focusing on domestic routes; however, Iran Air and Mahan Air are the primary carriers operating international routes, chiefly to neighboring countries but also to Russia and China.

Recent developments have seen Georgia prohibiting Iranian carriers from land, while Iranian airline Mahan suspended services to Turkey upon request from the Turkish government. According to two Iraqi sources, Baghdad intends to suspend flights operated by Iranian airlines following the US Treasury's announcement. These restrictions further complicate the travel options for Iranians, both for leaving the country and returning.

The Israeli-American strikes on Iran at the end of February led to the entire closure of Iranian airspace, which has since partially resumed, although only Iranian carriers facilitate passenger departures from Iran.