US Hits Iran with 36 New Sanctions

The United States imposed 36 new sanctions related to Iran on Tuesday, primarily targeting the country’s aviation sector and associated companies. The measures are part of a broader effort to ramp up economic pressure on Tehran as the war in the Middle East enters its seventh month.

According to the US Department of the Treasury, the main goal is to ground Iranian airline Mahan Air and other carriers in the country. The sanctions also target secret front companies, foreign intermediaries and deceptive transshipment routes. Iran uses these networks to acquire sensitive technologies and US-origin aircraft.

The US also issued a warning to financial institutions to report procurement networks supporting the Iranian aviation industry. They were specifically instructed to focus on entities based in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates that are alleged to have assisted Tehran with these purchases.

“Let this be a warning to anyone doing business with Iran’s remaining airlines, all of which we sanctioned today: You are at risk of being cut off from the global financial system”, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

(Reuters, max)