US Aviation Sanctions Force Cancellation of Iran Flights to Baghdad and Muscat

Flights from Iran to the capitals of Iraq and Oman were cancelled beginning September 23, 2026, as new United States secondary sanctions target the Iranian aviation sector. According to Tasnim News Agency and other regional media reports, air services connecting Tehran to Baghdad and Muscat faced immediate grounding ahead of measures announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The restrictions add severe operational hurdles for Iranian carriers seven months into the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. According to reporting by Al Jazeera, the US Treasury’s expanded rules threaten to cut off any global aviation service provider from the US dollar system if they supply fuel, ticketing, or ground handling to Iranian aircraft.

Regional Flight Cancellations and Alternative Routes

Iranian civil aviation officials held urgent talks on Tuesday to mitigate the disruptions for travelers and pilgrims. According to Tasnim News Agency, a spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization stated that officials are negotiating to redirect Baghdad-bound flights to Iraq’s Najaf Airport instead.

Meanwhile, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported that discussions with Omani authorities regarding Muscat flights remained ongoing. Aviation authorities confirmed that other international routes, including flights to Istanbul, would continue operating as scheduled for the time being.

The sudden shift has created immense pressure for regional travel agencies, particularly in Iraq. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), travel agents in Najaf warned of significant financial losses and heavy logistical burdens. Many agencies rely on air bookings for religious pilgrims and patients seeking medical treatment in Iran.

Iraqi travel agent Haidar Shamaa told AFP that numerous companies depend heavily on flights to Iran and will face steep challenges if the restrictions persist. While some agencies are considering land transport as an alternative, road journeys take many hours longer and present acute hardships for elderly passengers.

Secondary Sanctions Target Global Aviation Support

The aviation grounding stems from aggressive enforcement of secondary sanctions outlined by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Speaking to CNBC, Bessent explained that any airport or service provider that fuels, services, or sells tickets to an Iranian carrier landing on its tarmac risks being knocked out of the dollar system.

Aviation analysts told Al Jazeera that while Washington lacks the legal authority to unilaterally close foreign airspace, targeting local refueling and ground-handling agents achieves a similar outcome by stripping away necessary operational support. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has widened these financial and trade restrictions throughout the month.

Washington maintains that Iran’s commercial aviation network has been used to transport weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo. The newly enforced measures formally place severe penalties on any international company providing maintenance, landing fee processing, or financial clearance to Iranian airlines.

Diplomatic Stance and Broader Geopolitical Friction

The aviation restrictions arrive just ahead of Pezeshkian’s scheduled address to the United Nations. Tehran has simultaneously signaled openness to mediated diplomatic channels while maintaining a defiant posture against Washington’s economic pressure.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei asserted that ongoing threats from the United States will fail to yield results.

Trump’s threats will not achieve any results. We are prepared for a decisive war.

Mohsen Rezaei

Rezaei added that it remains in Washington’s interest to accept conditions mediated through Qatar for a long-term resolution. Concurrently, international reactions to the secondary sanctions have drawn sharp rebukes from trade partners, with China formally stating its opposition to unilateral sanctions.