U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the international campaign to economically isolate Iran is yielding results. According to him, Washington has sent representatives to various countries to push for measures against the Iranian authorities. The minister reported on the steps taken on social media platform X, listing restrictions in the aviation and banking sectors.

In the aviation sector, Turkey and Oman have stopped accepting flights from the private Iranian airline Mahan Air. The United Arab Emirates, according to sources, has suspended flights by Iranian airlines. This is a significant restriction for Iran: Dubai remains a major regional destination for Iranian carriers, and close business ties and significant passenger traffic persist between the UAE and Iran.

Restrictions on Airlines

The measures followed the United States’ imposition of sanctions against Iran’s aviation sector in early September. Washington had warned foreign companies about the consequences of cooperating with Iranian carriers. Bessent had previously stated that airlines would be given a limited amount of time to bring their operations into compliance with U.S. requirements.

However, the restrictions have not led to a complete halt in Iran’s international air traffic. Smaller Iranian carriers continue to operate flights abroad, particularly to China. According to Iranian authorities, flights to Armenia, Russia, Southeast Asian countries, and Turkey are also continuing. China, according to reports, has not yielded to U.S. pressure.

On Friday, Mohammad Mohber, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, called on countries in the region to ensure the continued operation of Iranian airlines. He stated that regional air routes should either be open to everyone or closed to everyone.

A Blow to Banking Operations

At the same time, pressure on Iranian banks is mounting. On Wednesday, the Central Bank of the UAE blocked transactions between branches of the state-owned Bank Melli and Iran. The regulator cited alleged violations of regulations on anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons.

Last week, the Turkish banking regulator revoked the license of Iran’s Bank Mellat. The basis cited was a provision of banking law related to the stability of the financial system. Bank Mellat was already subject to Western sanctions, Arab News notes.

Diplomatic Pressure from Washington

According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury for Counter-Terrorism Financing Jonathan Burke spent two weeks visiting countries in Europe and the Middle East to promote the U.S. plan. Sources cited by the publication claim that Washington discussed its implementation with more than 50 countries.

The U.S. is pressuring its trading partners to choose between cooperating with Iran and gaining access to the U.S. financial system, the publication reports. Bessent expressed gratitude to the authorities in the United Kingdom, Turkey, Oman, and the UAE and stated that work in this direction will continue.

At the same time, there are still signs that the campaign is not fully effective. Iranian airlines continue to operate some international flights, and some countries have not complied with U.S. demands. In addition, the airport in Najaf, Iraq, announced the suspension of flights to and from Iran but cited only official directives and did not directly link the decision to U.S. sanctions.