UAE suspends flights by Iranian airlines until further notice

The United Arab Emirates has halted all flights operated by Iranian airlines to and from the country, effective immediately. This decision was made in accordance with a recent US ban that prohibits Iranian airlines from operating at airports worldwide. The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, warned that secondary sanctions will be imposed on any global air services providers dealing with Iranian airlines, which would result in their exclusion from the dollar system.

The General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE stated that they would continue to inform relevant authorities and the public about any changes related to the suspension, depending on the evolving geopolitical and regulatory landscape. Bank Melli Iran, the largest lender in Iran with eight branches in the UAE, has also been barred from conducting any financial transactions between its UAE branches and Iran due to its failure to comply with anti-money laundering regulations.

This move follows the UAE's decision last month to suspend all trade, commercial exchange, and financial transactions with Iran, prompted by a series of attacks on UAE-owned tankers and Iran's refusal to engage in talks with the US.