Türkiye will suspend flights operated by Iranian private carrier Mahan Air from September 21 due to concerns over exposure to US sanctions, Turkish officials told Middle East Eye.
They said the suspension will apply to all Mahan Air flights to and from Iran.
Officials stressed that the decision does not constitute a broader ban on Iranian airlines, although other carriers remain under review.
Earlier this month, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a wide-ranging sanctions package targeting Iranian civilian airlines, ground-services providers, cargo companies and aircraft-parts suppliers.
The measures gave companies a short period to end business with the targeted Iranian entities and warned that third-country service providers could also face penalties.
Three Türkiye-based companies — S Sistem, Mes Cargo and Sky Phoenix — were sanctioned for providing services to Mahan Air, including supplying aircraft components, providing general sales services and purchasing aircraft.
One Turkish official made clear that the sanctions against the three companies showed that the risk was directly affecting Mahan Air’s service network in Türkiye.
“The risk now extends to every Turkish entity providing services to Mahan Air, from airport operations and ground handling to ticketing and banking. This could disrupt services and trigger further investigations,” the official said.
Other Turkish officials noted that Ankara’s decision should not be interpreted as a general ban on Iranian carriers.
They said, however, that Türkiye would continue to assess the risks associated with other Iranian airlines, taking into account its bilateral aviation agreement with Tehran, flight safety considerations and the possibility of further US sanctions that could expose Turkish companies to additional penalties.
Mahan Air operated regular flights to Türkiye, including at least three daily services between Istanbul and Tehran.
The airline confirmed on Friday that it would suspend all flights to and from Türkiye from September 21. It also announced the suspension of services to Oman and Georgia.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
