Iran's International Flights to Turkey, China and Najaf Continued on the First Day of US Aviation Sanctions

As US aviation restrictions took effect from the early hours of Wednesday, September 23, 2026 (1 Mehr 1405), Baghdad airport stopped accepting Iranian flights and Muscat airport stopped accepting Iranian passengers, according to a spokesman for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization. EcoIran's review of Imam Khomeini International Airport's schedule that day showed 16 departures and 22 arrivals, of which one flight was cancelled and 8 were delayed. Most flights served Turkish cities, and flights to Najaf, Yerevan, Kabul, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Dubai also operated.

The CEO of Imam Khomeini Airport City said flights to Najaf and China are running on schedule and that, on the Turkey routes, only Mahan Air has faced restrictions. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, by contrast, claimed in a Fox News interview that 80 to 90 percent of Iran's foreign flights have been halted. The US has already sanctioned 38 Iranian airlines and warned that countries providing them with refuelling, landing or ticketing services could face limits on access to the dollar financial system.