Despite U.S. Sanctions, Misbar Tracks 34 International Flights by Iranian Airlines

Misbar’s team at Alaraby TV tracked live flight movements on the FlightRadar24 website on September 23 and found that Iranian air traffic continued despite the implementation of U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector.

The U.S. deadline for settling the situation expired at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, after which all enhanced sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector came fully into effect.

According to air traffic tracking data, around nine Iranian airlines subject to sanctions continued to operate international commercial flights normally, with a total of 34 flights, including 12 arrivals and 22 departures to airports in Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, China and Armenia.

U.S. Sanctions on 27 Iranian Airlines Take Effect

The air traffic activity follows a decision issued by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on September 8 as part of a plan known as “economic ostracism.” The decision added 27 Iranian airlines to the enhanced sanctions list.

The decision was linked to the freezing of existing operating licences and the withdrawal of exemptions that had allowed Iranian aircraft to be refuelled, maintained or to use Iranian airspace for transit.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that providing any services to these companies after September 23, 2026, would constitute direct participation in a sanctions violation. The warning applies to airports, ground-handling companies, ticket sales offices and banks providing services such as landing permissions, refuelling, and navigational and financial facilities.

The U.S. Treasury confirmed that entities violating the sanctions would face an immediate penalty consisting of a ban on dealing with U.S. banks and a complete prohibition on conducting any financial transactions within the dollar-based financial system.

Mahan Air and Iran Air Tour Among Major Airlines Continuing Flights Despite Sanctions

Air traffic records showed intensive activity by Iranian airlines subject to U.S. sanctions, which continued operating international flights along various routes.

Mahan Air operated its large Airbus A340 aircraft on long-haul flights, including a flight from the Chinese city of Shanghai to Tehran and another departing Tehran for the Chinese city of Guangzhou, in addition to round-trip flights between the Iranian capital and the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Meanwhile, Iran Air Tour increased its flights to Turkish cities using Airbus aircraft. Air traffic records showed arrivals and departures between Tehran and Shiraz on one side and Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir on the other.

Warsh Airlines also launched flights operated by Boeing 737 aircraft, connecting Tehran with Türkiye’s Izmir and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

In the same context, Ava Air and Taban continued operating joint flights between Tehran and Istanbul, in addition to regular passenger flights between the Iraqi city of Najaf and Iranian airports.

The activity was not limited to these carriers. Other Iranian airlines, including Zagros, Qeshm Air, Caspian and Sepehran, also operated additional flights, most of which were bound for major destinations including Istanbul, Dubai and Najaf.

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