UAE bars flights by Iran's airlines - Iranian media

On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates announced it had suspended all flights operated by Iran's airlines, in line with US sanctions imposed over the Middle East conflict. Since midnight, Iranian airlines have been barred from offering services to the UAE, according to the ISNA news agency. No immediate statement was provided by UAE officials.

An Iranian airline, Iran Airtour, canceled a flight from Tehran to Dubai shortly before its scheduled departure following ticket issuance, according to a passenger who spoke to AFP. Dubai, as the UAE's primary commercial hub, is a key destination for Iranian airlines, with numerous daily flights operating between Iran and Dubai.

Dubai's airport, which provides access to Europe, Asia, and Africa, frequently functions as a transit point for Iranian travelers and is a popular holiday destination. Nonetheless, Turkey remains accessible to Iranian passengers.

In early September, the US imposed sanctions on Iran's aviation sector and threatened severe penalties against companies that collaborate with it. These entities were given until Wednesday to comply, either by discontinuing Iran's refueling operations or by facing potential removal from the dollar-based financial system. Subsequently, the leading Iranian airlines were compelled to cancel their international flights starting Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan joined the exclusion on Thursday, as the airline was denied permission to fly over Turkmenistan's airspace, causing the Tehran-Dushanbe flight to return to Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport. Despite the sanctions, a few small Iranian airlines still operate internationally, primarily to China and Armenia, countries that refuse to comply with US demands.

Iran operates nearly 30 airlines, with Iran Air and Mahan being the largest for international travel.