Trump Administration Sanctions All Remaining Iranian Airlines
The United States expanded sanctions on Iranian civil aviation to isolate the country and disrupt airlines allegedly used to transport military drones.
The Trump administration expanded sanctions targeting Iranian civil aviation to isolate the country and disrupt the operations of its remaining airlines. The U.S. Treasury Department updated executive orders to threaten any entity providing fuel, ticketing, or maintenance to these carriers with exclusion from the dollar-based financial system.
U.S. officials specifically identified a Boeing 777, tail sign EP-MTE, as being used to transport unmanned drones. To acquire such aircraft, Iran reportedly utilized a complex scheme involving shell companies in Florida and Madagascar to bypass export bans. Western intelligence agencies claim the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization runs and utilizes Mahan Air, Iran's largest private carrier.
Despite the sanctions, Mahan Air continues to operate flights to Russia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Aviation experts warn that these aging aircraft are high-risk for mechanical failure due to a lack of factory-certified maintenance and the use of cannibalized parts. Some nations continue to maintain these aviation links to secure energy supplies via the Strait of Hormuz or to hedge against superpowers.
