Will Iran Flights Be Grounded Worldwide on September 23?

Iran flights face a critical test beginning September 23, 2026, after the United States threatened sanctions against airports, fuel suppliers, ground-handling companies and ticketing providers that continue servicing sanctioned Iranian airlines.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington expects Iranian carriers to become effectively unable to operate internationally from Wednesday, warning that companies providing fuel, landing services or ticket sales could risk losing access to the dollar-based financial system.

That does not automatically mean Iranian airspace will close or that every foreign airline flying to Iran will stop operating. The measures are primarily aimed at Iranian airlines and the international services they need to operate abroad.

Iran flights on September 23: What changes?

International airlines depend on a network of services outside their home countries, including fuel, airport handling, maintenance, reservations, ticket sales and financial payments.

Washington is attempting to use that dependence to intensify pressure on Iranian carriers.

Bessent told CNBC that foreign companies providing fuel, landing services or ticketing support to Iranian airlines could face exclusion from the dollar system.

The threat of secondary sanctions can influence companies outside the United States because access to dollar banking remains crucial to much of the global aviation industry.

Will every flight to and from Iran stop?

No.

The U.S. warning focuses primarily on Iranian carriers and does not itself impose an automatic worldwide ban on foreign airlines flying into Iran.

However, international air connectivity with Iran has already narrowed sharply because of war, security risks, sanctions and restrictions introduced by individual governments.

Passengers may therefore see some routes continue while others disappear, leaving Iran increasingly dependent on a smaller number of foreign carriers and airports willing to maintain services.

Why September 23?

The deadline is part of a broader U.S. economic campaign targeting Iran’s transport, financial and commercial networks.

On September 8, the U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on 36 targets associated with Iran’s aviation sector, including 27 Iranian airlines.

The newly designated carriers included Iran Aseman Airlines, Qeshm Air, Kish Airlines, Zagros Airlines, Sepehran Airlines and Iran Air Tour, among others.

Mahan Air had already been subject to U.S. sanctions for years, with Washington taking additional action in July against companies and individuals it says provided commercial or logistical support to the airline.

Mahan Air routes are already disappearing

The impact of the pressure became visible before September 23.

Mahan Air suspended international services to Istanbul, Ankara and Muscat following restrictions linked to authorities in Turkey and Oman.

Reports also said the airline stopped services to Georgia, showing how sanctions can affect not only the carrier itself but also its ability to obtain operating permission and aviation services abroad.

Iran Air says some flights are continuing

Not all Iranian international operations had stopped by Monday night.

Iran Air said services connecting Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan with Najaf in Iraq remained scheduled to operate.

That makes September 23 an important practical test of whether airports, fuel suppliers and handling companies outside Iran comply with Washington’s sanctions threat.

What does this mean for passengers?

The immediate impact is expected to fall most heavily on international flights operated by Iranian carriers rather than domestic flights inside Iran.

Potential consequences include fewer destinations, cancellations, difficulties rebooking, increased reliance on connecting flights through third countries and higher ticket prices as travel options shrink.

Schedules could also change rapidly if an airport, fuel supplier or ticketing provider ends its relationship with an Iranian airline to reduce sanctions risk.

Passengers booked on non-Iranian carriers are affected by each airline’s security decisions, airspace restrictions and government rules rather than Bessent’s announcement alone.

Why is Washington targeting Iranian aviation?

The U.S. Treasury says Iranian airlines have been used to transport weapons, personnel and equipment supporting activities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran argues that U.S. sanctions damage its economy and civilian population, while Washington describes the measures as an effort to cut financing and logistical networks it says support Iranian military activities.

The aviation measures are therefore part of the wider political and economic confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

Secondary sanctions take the pressure beyond Iran

The most significant element of the policy is its reach beyond Iranian companies.

If Washington applies secondary sanctions broadly, the practical ability of an Iranian aircraft to operate internationally will depend on decisions by foreign airports, banks, fuel suppliers, ground handlers and ticketing businesses.

That is why Bessent argues Iranian carriers could effectively be shut out of international aviation even though Washington does not directly control foreign airports.

Could China or other countries keep routes open?

The aviation pressure comes ahead of a U.S.-China summit, while Bessent said American officials have discussed enforcement of Iran sanctions with Chinese financial authorities.

China has not independently announced that it will follow every U.S. aviation measure against Iran.

Profile News has covered the latest U.S.-China discussions involving trade, artificial intelligence and economic policy.

Whether major non-Western aviation hubs continue accepting Iranian carriers after September 23 will provide an early indication of how far Washington’s secondary-sanctions strategy can reach.

Aviation pressure comes amid the Hormuz crisis

The aviation dispute is unfolding alongside continued military and maritime tension around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran recently said it shot down what it identified as a U.S. drone over the waterway, while Washington had not publicly confirmed losing an aircraft connected to the incident.

Profile News examined Iran’s claim that it shot down a U.S. drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

What to watch on September 23

The clearest signal will be whether airports outside Iran continue allowing sanctioned Iranian carriers to land, refuel and receive ground services.

Actual flight cancellations, government decisions in neighboring countries and any new official response from Tehran will also determine how extensive the disruption becomes.

September 23 therefore should not be understood as an automatic technical shutdown of every flight to Iran. It is a test of whether U.S. sanctions can make the international operations of Iranian airlines commercially and financially unworkable.

Report Sources: U.S. Treasury — Iranian aviation sanctions; CNBC — Scott Bessent interview transcript; Financial Times — impact on Mahan Air routes; The National — aviation impact of secondary sanctions.