Iran Threatens Neighbors as US Aviation Sanctions Take Effect

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei threatened to disable the airports of neighboring countries that cooperate with new United States aviation sanctions. This escalation follows an announcement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that 36 entities in Iran's aviation sector are sanctioned, with secondary penalties for any global provider offering fuel, landing services, or ticketing to Iranian carriers.

Regional compliance has been swift. The United Arab Emirates suspended all Iranian flights and the Central Bank of the UAE barred Bank Melli Iran from conducting financial transactions. Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan have also restricted Iranian aviation, while Turkish carriers canceled flights to and from Iran. Despite these measures, some Mahan Air flights to China remained active.

Simultaneously, Iran has maintained the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Rezaei declared that Tehran will not return to pre-war diplomacy and will keep the waterway closed until Washington meets seven conditions, including the release of frozen assets and the lifting of a naval blockade. These demands were conveyed to US envoy Steve Witkoff by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during the UN General Assembly in New York.

The standoff intensifies as President Donald Trump suggested the US could annihilate the Islamic Republic if a deal is not reached. Iranian officials have rejected these threats, demanding concrete action over further negotiations.