Mahan Air Added to US Sanctions List

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday added Iran’s Mahan Air to its Specialty Designated Nationals (SDN) list. The Treasury spokesman said that Mahan Air provides “financial, material and technological support to the IRGC-Quds Force and to (Lebanon’s) Hezbollah” [AP, 13 October].

The Treasury also charged the airliner with ferrying personnel between Iran and Syria for military training and helping IRGC-QF officers to covertly travel abroad. The airliner’s crews were also accused of shipping arms on behalf of Iran and Hezbollah.

On Sunday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suspended the Iranian national airline, Iran Air, after the Treasury’s OFAC had added it to its SDN list. IATA is expected to also suspend Mahan Air after Wednesday’s action by the Treasury. The suspension would prohibit Mahan to use other airlines' facilities and non-Iranian travel agents would not be able to book passengers on its flights. Such restrictions, if implemented by IATA, would severely limit Mahan Air’s ability to service its foreign destinations. Mahan Air is Iran’s most modern and fastest growing airline.

Photo: Mahan Air

IATA Suspends Iran Air

BBC is reporting that the International Air Transport Association, IATA, the world aviation’s regulatory body, has suspended Iran Air after the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) included the airliner in its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List. The list includes individuals as well as companies owned or controlled by countries under US sanctions. IATA’s director of public affairs has told BBC that Iran Air’s suspension went into effect on 5 October.

The action means the country’s national airline would not be part of the global airlines clearinghouse. Iran Air still can fly but cannot use other airlines’ facilities and non-Iranian travel agents would not be able to book passengers on its flights. The action severely limits Iran Air’s ability to service its foreign destinations.