Choking by sea and land, and now also by air: US tightens the siege on Iran

The US is escalating sanctions on Iranian airlines, threatening to cut off from the dollar system any entity that provides them with fuel or landing services. Many countries, including Iraq, Oman, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, have already announced the cancellation of flights. In contrast, China and Russia refuse to cooperate and continue to maintain ties with Tehran.

The US is expanding its siege on Iran to the aerial dimension. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened that any entity providing fuel, landing services, or tickets to Iranian airlines would be removed from the dollar system. The move aims to complete the maritime and land siege that already hampers cargo and energy transfers. Following the threat, Iraq, Oman, Azerbaijan, and Georgia announced flight cancellations. Turkey is enforcing restrictions on Iranian banks. However, China and Russia refuse to cooperate: a Mahan Air flight landed in Guangzhou, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that ties with Iran are legitimate and legal. The damage to aviation weighs on 90 million Iranians suffering from high inflation and the collapse of the rial, as airlines were used to transport medicine and spare parts.