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Akbar Novruz

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Turkish authorities have directed Mahan Air, Iran’s largest carrier, to suspend all flights to Türkiye, according to a person familiar with the matter cited by the Associated Press.

The suspension affects Mahan Air flights between Tehran and Ankara in both directions and is expected to take effect this week, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency. No timeline has been given for when the service could resume.

The Iran-Türkiye air corridor is one of the busiest routes connecting Iran with the outside world, serving passengers, cargo and business traffic between the two countries.

The decision represents a setback for Mahan Air and comes as Iran’s aviation sector continues to operate under international sanctions, with airlines facing aging fleets and limited access to aircraft, spare parts and other aviation equipment.

However, ISNA reported that other airlines continue to operate flights on the route, meaning the immediate impact of the suspension is expected to fall primarily on Mahan Air rather than disrupting air travel between Iran and Türkiye as a whole.

The move follows a new round of US Treasury sanctions announced on September 8 under “Operation Economic Outcast,” a campaign targeting Iran’s aviation network.

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated 27 Iranian airlines and nine third-country intermediaries accused of helping the carriers circumvent existing sanctions, obtain aircraft and spare parts, and transport cargo internationally.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned companies continuing to conduct business with the designated airlines that they could face exclusion from the international financial system.

Mahan Air has previously been subject to US sanctions over allegations concerning its role in transporting personnel and equipment linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other sanctioned entities.