Iran halts Baghdad and Muscat flights as US sanctions bite

Flights from Iran to Baghdad and Muscat were set to stop being accepted from midnight local time on Tuesday, according to Iran's Civil Aviation Organization spokesman, as expanded US sanctions on the country's aviation sector took effect on Wednesday. The spokesman, Majid Akhavan, said Iranian aviation authorities were negotiating to redirect flights bound for Baghdad to Najaf airport in Iraq, and that talks with Oman regarding Muscat were also ongoing. Other international flights from Iran, including those to Istanbul, were expected to continue operating as scheduled, he said. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that all Iranian airlines would be shut down worldwide on September 23 through secondary sanctions on fuel, ground handling and ticketing providers. "If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system," Bessent told CNBC. The measures do not automatically close foreign airspace to Iranian aircraft, but the loss of airport services, fuel and financial support could make international operations increasingly difficult.