UAE halts Iranian flights to comply with US sanctions targeting 27 airlines

The UAE grounded all Iranian airline flights to and from its airports on September 24, shutting down one of Iran’s most important international air corridors overnight. The move came one day after a US Treasury deadline requiring global firms to cut ties with sanctioned Iranian carriers. What happened and why The chain of events started on September 8, when the US Treasury sanctioned 27 Iranian airlines. Washington alleged these carriers were involved in transporting weapons and illicit cargo, a charge Iran has denied. Global companies were given until September 23 to wind down any remaining business with the designated airlines. The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority announced its suspension the following day, making the compliance deadline effectively immediate for anyone booking a Tehran-to-Dubai ticket. Iranian state media outlet ISNA confirmed that all Iranian flights to and from the UAE had been canceled. The cancellations hit popular routes hard, particularly the high-traffic Dubai corridor that serves both business travelers and the large Iranian diaspora community in the Emirates. US officials have framed the aviation sanctions as part of a broader initiative they call...