Announcing a new sanctions plan targeting Iran’s civil aviation network, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iranian commercial airlines would halt operations worldwide from September 23.
Bessent said the sweeping secondary sanctions being prepared by Washington would also target international facilities that serve Iranian aircraft, adding that these organizations could face complete exclusion from the U.S. banking system.
Foreign companies could lose access to the U.S. dollar-clearing system if they provide fuel to Iranian aircraft, offer landing services or sell passenger tickets for those flights.
Third-party organizations also targeted
Bessent said third-party organizations supporting Iran and intermediaries facilitating financial transactions would also be subject to sanctions. He said Washington had identified some of these intermediaries and announced that activities involving them would be halted.
The U.S. Treasury secretary said contacts with China had also been discussed regarding the implementation of the sanctions, adding that Chinese financial authorities were closely involved in the process. Bessent also said talks were being held with the Beijing administration outside the public eye.
Timeline for sanctions campaign remains unclear
Bessent did not give a specific date for how long the economic pressure campaign would last. Responding to a question about whether the campaign would continue for a week, a month or six months, he said the pressure on Iran was unprecedented.
The planned restrictions on air transport come as Washington increases its economic measures against Iran. The announcement said the war in Iran had entered its seventh month and that the conflict began after coordinated U.S.-Israeli attacks launched in late February.
The conflict has disrupted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, while missile attacks have continued in the region and pressure on Iran’s commercial and financial connections has intensified.
