UAE suspends Iranian airline flights after U.S. sanctions

U.S. secondary sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector took effect on September 23, and the United Arab Emirates said the following day that it had suspended all flights operated by Iranian airlines to and from the country until further notice. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority linked its decision to the U.S. measures, which threaten foreign companies providing services to targeted carriers with possible sanctions. The restrictions do not formally close foreign airspace to Iranian aircraft. They target services including refueling, landing assistance and ticket sales, potentially making international operations more difficult. The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines on September 8; the measures took effect after a wind-down period ended on September 23. The UAE authority said it would keep officials and the public informed as developments unfold, pending the resumption of normal air traffic. Iranian media had reported cancellations of UAE-bound flights before the authority’s announcement, including a Tehran-to-Dubai service.