US Treasury intensifies pressure on Iran with new aviation sanctions

The US Treasury sanctioned 36 entities and suspended three aviation authorizations targeting Iran’s aviation sector. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 27 Iranian airlines alongside several foreign intermediaries accused of facilitating aircraft procurements and logistics for those carriers. The action, taken on September 8, 2026, falls under the umbrella of “Operation Economic Outcast,” a comprehensive sanctions framework that launched on August 24, 2026. What the sanctions actually do The 36 targets include airlines and the network of companies that keep them flying. Among them is Mahan Air, an airline that has been living under US sanctions since 2011 and was designated for counterterrorism purposes in 2019 due to its ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). OFAC also suspended three aviation-related authorizations, affecting permissions for overflights of Iranian airspace and the operation of non-US airlines that use US-origin aircraft in Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent framed the action in blunt terms, stating the measures aim to eliminate Iran’s operational capabilities in aviation. The specific concern, according to Bessent, is that ...