Countries rush to cancel Iran flights after US threatens to shut down airlines

The US government told the world: do business with Iranian airlines, or do business with the US dollar system. Countries are choosing the dollar. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on September 21 that secondary sanctions would effectively ground Iranian airlines globally starting September 23, giving foreign airports, fuel providers, and ticket sellers roughly 48 hours to cut ties with every Iranian carrier or risk losing access to the US financial system. A cascade of cancellations The response was swift and, for Tehran, deeply isolating. Georgia imposed a full ban on Iranian flights. Azerbaijan announced restrictions starting September 22, one day before the deadline. Iraq suspended flights between Baghdad and Iran. Oman cut the Tehran-Muscat route. Turkey banned Mahan Air from its airspace. The affected carriers, including Mahan Air, Iran Air, and Qeshm Air, were already operating under severe constraints. Years of prior US sanctions had restricted their access to aircraft parts, maintenance services, and modern planes. What’s new is the scope. This isn’t a targeted strike against one airline with alleged Revolutionary Guard ties. This is a blanket action covering every...