September 22, 2026 | 04:53 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that all Iranian commercial airlines would cease global operations starting September 23 as part of secondary sanctions aimed at isolating Iran's civil aviation sector. "On September 23rd, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world," Bessent told the television network CNBC, as quoted by ANTARA.
International airports that insist on continuing to service Iranian aircraft, Bessent added, will face the risk of being completely cut off from the U.S. banking system.
He warned that foreign operators cannot refuel aircraft, provide landing facilities, or sell passenger tickets for Iranian aircraft without risking the loss of access to the U.S. dollar clearing system.
Iranian officials have not yet issued a public response regarding the planned flight restrictions.
Bessent also warned third parties assisting Iran that the U.S. has identified the financial intermediaries facilitating those transactions. "We've seen enablers throughout the world. We know who they are. They know who they are, and we are putting a stop to it," he stressed.
Regarding the possibility of China enforcing sanctions, Bessent emphasized that the matter had been discussed during the meeting.
He noted that the U.S. was holding talks with a number of countries secretly and behind the scenes, without public disclosure. Bessent added that Chinese financial authorities, including People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng, remained involved in the process.
Bessent did not say how long and how strong the economic pressure campaign against Iran would last. The U.S. cannot yet confirm whether the pressure will last for one week, one month or six months. However, he described the current pressure on Iran as unprecedented.
The embargo on the aviation sector was imposed as the U.S. ramped up economic pressure on Iran through "Operation Economic Fury," amidst the conflict between the U.S.-Israel alliance and Iran, which is now entering its seventh month.
The war began in late February following a series of joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. The conflict subsequently triggered shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, an exchange of missile strikes in the region, and increased pressure on Iran's trade and financial channels.
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