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Turkish Airlines and budget carriers AJet and Pegasus have canceled all flights to and from Iran starting September 21, as new United States sanctions targeting Iran's aviation sector took effect, according to a review by Middle East Eye and a report from Iran International.
The Turkish Airlines and AJet websites show no flights to Iran scheduled until March 2027, while Pegasus appears to have removed all Iran routes from its booking system for the foreseeable future. A Turkish Airlines representative told Iran International by phone that the carrier had no flights scheduled to Iran before March 2027 and could not guarantee service would resume even after that date.
Iraq is also moving to halt Iranian carrier operations. Two Iraqi government sources told AFP that Iraq would enforce a ban on Iranian airlines starting Tuesday at dawn, in line with the US Treasury decision.
The suspension comes as Washington intensifies its campaign against Iran's aviation sector, targeting Iranian airlines as well as foreign companies accused of supporting their operations.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that Iranian airlines would effectively be barred from international operations starting Sept. 23 under sweeping US sanctions, warning that airports and companies providing services to sanctioned Iranian carriers could themselves face American penalties, Iran International reported.
The US Treasury has in recent years repeatedly sanctioned Iranian airlines and affiliated firms, accusing them of transporting weapons and military equipment on behalf of Tehran and its regional allies, part of a broader Washington strategy of using financial and sectoral sanctions to isolate Iran's economy.
Iraq will also suspend flights by Iranian airlines starting Tuesday at dawn, in line with the US Treasury decision, two Iraqi government sources told AFP.
"Iraq will enforce the ban on Iranian airlines in accordance with the US Treasury decision starting Tuesday at dawn," one official said, warning that countries failing to implement the measure risk sanctions themselves. A second Iraqi government source confirmed the decision to AFP.
Iraq is a major destination for Iranian travelers, particularly Shiite pilgrims visiting the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. Travel volumes surge around religious occasions such as Arbaeen, when large numbers of Iranians cross into Iraq to visit Shiite shrines, a pattern that makes any suspension of Iranian airline operations especially consequential for religious travel between the two countries, Iran International reported.
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