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All Iranian flights to Türkiye expected to be halted in early October, sources say

Numerous aircraft are seen at Istanbul Airport as a plane takes off at an unspecified location and time. (Adobe Stock Photo)
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Numerous aircraft are seen at Istanbul Airport as a plane takes off at an unspecified location and time. (Adobe Stock Photo)
September 28, 2026 10:24 AM GMT+03:00

All Iranian flights to Türkiye are expected to be canceled starting in early October, two people told Türkiye Today, as U.S. sanctions on Iranian aviation shut Tehran's carriers out of a growing number of regional airports.

A person with close ties to Iranian aviation confirmed the expected cancellation.

Turkish authorities have not announced such a decision.

Türkiye remains one of the few regional destinations still served by Iranian airlines after Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) revoked Iran's flight permits.

Iranian flights to Türkiye continue for now

Iran's private carrier Mahan Air stopped serving Türkiye at the request of Turkish authorities, but flights between the two countries have continued several times a day through Iran Air and smaller Iranian carriers, according to the Tehran and Istanbul airport websites, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Iran's Tasnim News Agency recently reported, citing a civil aviation spokesman, that Istanbul flights would operate as scheduled.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Saturday that Türkiye and Oman had halted Mahan Air flights, while the UAE had stopped all flights by Iranian airlines.

"These efforts are delivering results," he wrote on X.

Türkiye also revoked the license of Iran's Bank Mellat recently.

Washington announced it would sanction any global company doing business with Iranian airlines after Sept. 23, aiming to ground Iran's entire civilian fleet worldwide.

Bessent said the measure would stop Iranian airline operations worldwide.

Iraq has halted Iranian flights at all four airports where they operated and is holding direct talks with Washington to seek exemptions on humanitarian grounds. Turkmenistan also turned back a Tehran-Dushanbe flight by denying Iranian airlines access to its airspace.

Iranian carriers still fly to China, Russia, Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Malaysia, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

A board showing a flight arriving from Tehran is pictured at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on September 24, 2026. (AFP Photo)
A board showing a flight arriving from Tehran is pictured at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on September 24, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Tehran warns of 'non-military' steps against airports

Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Saturday denied reports that Tehran plans military retaliation over the restrictions, but said Iran has "numerous non-military options" it could use against some airports if necessary.

Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei had warned last Wednesday that countries preventing Iranian aircraft from operating would find their own airports unable to operate flights to Iran.

"Either air travel in the region is available to everyone or to no one," Mohammad Mokhber, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, wrote on X on Friday.

September 28, 2026 10:24 AM GMT+03:00
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