Iranian airline Mahan Air has suspended several international routes as tightening US sanctions and restrictions by foreign aviation authorities put increasing pressure on the carrier’s operations.
The airline has suspended flights between Tehran and Muscat in Oman from September 17, while services connecting Tehran with Istanbul and Ankara in Turkey are due to stop from September 21. The suspensions are described as indefinite.
Mahan Air is one of Iran’s major airlines and has operated international services despite years of US sanctions. The latest restrictions are creating additional difficulties for the carrier as governments and aviation authorities respond to Washington’s expanding sanctions campaign against Iran’s aviation sector.
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on September 8 targeting Iran’s remaining airlines and other entities linked to the country’s aviation network. Mahan Air had already been under US sanctions, with Washington accusing the carrier of supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The new measures have also affected companies providing services to Mahan Air, including sales agents and other aviation-related businesses. The restrictions have made it increasingly difficult for the airline to maintain international operations and access the services required to support flights abroad.
Turkey’s restrictions are particularly significant because the country has been an important international destination and transit point for Iranian travellers. The suspension of services to Istanbul and Ankara will further reduce Mahan Air’s options for connecting passengers between Iran and other markets.
The latest route cuts come at a difficult time for Iran’s wider aviation industry. Years of sanctions have restricted access to aircraft, spare parts, maintenance services and other aviation equipment, leaving airlines operating with ageing fleets and limited resources.
The pressure has also intensified following the broader regional conflict and the reduction of international airline services to Iran. Recent flight data showed that a significant share of scheduled international services to the country had been cancelled or not operated, further limiting travel options.
Mahan Air continues to operate services to a number of destinations, including markets in China and Russia, but the future of some international routes remains uncertain as sanctions and regulatory restrictions continue to expand. Current route data shows the carrier maintaining a reduced international network alongside its extensive domestic operations.
The reduction in international connectivity has implications beyond passenger travel. Airlines provide important links for trade, business travel, tourism and the movement of goods, meaning further route cancellations could increase costs and make international commercial activity more difficult.
For Iranian travellers, the changes are likely to increase dependence on the smaller number of foreign and domestic carriers still operating international routes. For Mahan Air, meanwhile, the growing restrictions represent another challenge to an airline that has spent years operating under sanctions.
The latest developments underline the wider economic impact of sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector, as restrictions increasingly affect not only individual airlines but also the networks of companies and service providers needed to keep international flights operating.
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