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

Iran Air, the national airline of Iran, has declared that it has not been notified of any flight bans, despite the United States' upcoming sanctions tightening against the Iranian aviation sector. The airline operates on international routes predominantly to neighboring countries, as well as Russia and China, according to state news agency IRNA.

On Tuesday, Iran Air stated that it has received no official instructions from the civil aviation authorities of Turkey, Azerbaijan, or Iraq regarding the suspension or cessation of its flights to Istanbul, Baku, and Najaf. Earlier this month, the United States had blacklisted the Iranian aviation sector and threatened sanctions against any organization engaging with Iran's airlines.

According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Iranian airlines will face operational challenges as of Wednesday due to these American sanctions.

All Iranian airlines are expected to be shut down globally, as reported by CNBC in an interview with Bessent. While Iran's aviation sector has already been under various sanctions for years, the exact impact of these recent restrictions remains unclear. Iran is home to 27 airlines, with most of them operating domestic routes. Iran Air, the national carrier, and Mahan Air, a private company, are the two primary providers of international routes, mainly to neighboring countries, Russia, and China.

In addition to the US sanctions, Georgia has barred Iranian carriers from its land, and Mahan Air has suspended services to Turkey at the request of the Turkish government. Iraq has also reportedly suspended flights by Iranian airlines following the US Treasury's announcement. These sanctions complicate the travel options for Iranians, both for departing the country and returning home.

The Israeli-American strikes on Iran at the end of February had already resulted in the complete closure of Iran's airspace, with traffic partially resuming since then, but only Iranian carriers are permitted to facilitate passenger departures from Iran.