US Sanctions Disrupt Iran Flights as Bessent Questions UN Delegation’s Return
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has questioned how Iran’s delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York will return home, saying tightened American sanctions have severely disrupted Iran’s international aviation network.
Speaking on Wednesday, Bessent said Washington’s pressure campaign, which he referred to as “Operation Economic Outcast,” had likely resulted in more than 80% to 90% of Iran’s external flights being shut down. That percentage is a US government estimate and should not be treated as independently verified flight data.
Bessent said he was uncertain how Iranian representatives currently attending the UN General Assembly would return to Iran given the disruption.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials are in New York for the annual UN gathering, where Tehran has also been involved in diplomatic efforts surrounding the ongoing conflict with Washington.
The latest disruption follows a US warning that foreign companies providing services to sanctioned Iranian airlines could themselves face American restrictions.
AFP reported Thursday that Iranian airlines had been forced to cancel some international services after Washington tightened sanctions, providing independent confirmation that the measures are affecting flight operations.
However, the disruption has not completely grounded Iran’s international aviation sector. Bloomberg-linked reporting indicated that some Iranian international flights continued operating after the US deadline, including services to destinations in Asia.
That distinction is important because Bessent’s estimate of an 80% to 90% shutdown reflects Washington’s assessment rather than evidence that virtually all international Iranian flights have ceased.
Mahan Air Among Carriers Hit
Iran’s aviation industry had already been coming under increasing pressure before Wednesday’s deadline.
The Financial Times reported last week that Mahan Air, one of Iran’s major carriers, suspended international services to Istanbul, Ankara and Muscat amid expanding US restrictions targeting companies that provide Iranian airlines with ground handling, sales and other services.
The wider sanctions campaign targets not only airlines but also foreign businesses and financial institutions that Washington says facilitate Iranian operations.
Bessent warned companies and financiers dealing with sanctioned Iranian entities that the United States intended to pursue their businesses, transactions and bank accounts.
The Treasury secretary portrayed the aviation restrictions as one element of a broader US strategy combining military, maritime, economic and financial pressure on Tehran.
Iran disputes Washington’s justification for the pressure campaign and has condemned measures targeting its aviation and financial sectors.
Iran Warns Countries Over Aviation Restrictions
Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei warned neighbouring countries against cooperating with US restrictions on Iranian aviation, according to current reporting.
Rezaei said countries helping implement Washington’s measures could face consequences affecting their airports. His comments represent an Iranian government-linked warning and not an independently established consequence of sanctions enforcement.
The confrontation over aviation comes as Washington and Tehran simultaneously explore possible diplomatic avenues.
Iran has indicated that it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the United States reduces military pressure and lifts its blockade of Iranian ports. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran’s delegation in New York had full authority to pursue negotiations.
Despite those diplomatic signals, substantial differences remain between the two governments.
Iranian Delegation Faces Restrictions in New York
Iranian officials attending the UN gathering are already subject to US restrictions while in New York.
The United States is required under its obligations as UN host country to facilitate access for foreign delegations, but Washington has imposed movement and other restrictions on Iranian officials during their stay.
Bessent’s remarks add a new dimension to that pressure by suggesting the aviation sanctions could complicate their departure from the United States.
The practical effect on the delegation’s return remains unclear. No official announcement reviewed at publication time said the Iranian delegation was stranded or unable to secure transportation home.
For that reason, the development should be reported as Bessent questioning how the delegation will return, rather than as confirmation that Iranian officials cannot leave New York.
