UAE bars flights by Iran’s airlines, says Iranian media
The US imposed sanctions on Iran's aviation sector and vowed to crack down on companies that work with it.
Iranian media reported on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had suspended flights operated by Iran's national carrier, Iran Air, and private airline, Mahan Air, in compliance with US sanctions over the Middle East war. All flights by Iranian airlines to the UAE ceased operations at midnight, according to ISNA news agency.
One passenger informed AFP that an Iran Airtour flight from Tehran to Dubai was cancelled shortly before its scheduled departure due to the suspension. Dubai, as the UAE's commercial hub, is a significant destination for Iranian airlines, with numerous daily flights from Iran. However, Turkey, another key destination for Iranian travelers, remains unaffected.
In early September, the US had imposed sanctions on Iran's aviation sector, threatening to cut off companies working with Iran from the dollar-based financial system if they did not comply by Wednesday. As a result, Iran's main airlines were forced to cancel their international flights starting from Wednesday.
Turkmenistan joined the list of countries restricting Iranian airlines, preventing the Tehran-Dushanbe flight from landing at its destination and forcing it to return to Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport, as reported by the Civil Aviation Organisation spokesman Majid Akhavan. Despite the sanctions, a few small Iranian carriers continue to operate flights abroad, particularly to China, which disregards US pressure, and Armenia.
Iran is home to nearly 30 airlines, with Iran Air and Mahan being the largest for international travel.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
