The United Arab Emirates has suspended flights operated by Iran’s airlines to comply with U.S. sanctions over the Iran war, Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday.
“All flights by Iranian airlines to the United Arab Emirates have been canceled since midnight,” ISNA said, according to the AFP news agency.
No comment was immediately available from officials in the UAE.
An Iran Airtour flight from Tehran to Dubai was canceled shortly before its scheduled departure in the morning, after tickets had been issued, one passenger told AFP.
Dubai, the UAE’s commercial hub, is one of the most important destinations for Iranian airlines, with several daily flights from Iran.
Dubai airport, which offers connections to Europe, Asia and Africa, often serves as a transit point for Iranian travelers, and is a common destination for business trips.
Turkey, another major destination, remains open to Iranian travelers.
In early September, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector and vowed to come down hard on companies that work with it.
Those companies had until Wednesday to accede — by stopping refueling Iranian planes, for example — or face the possibility of being cut off from the dollar-based financial system.
Starting on Wednesday, the main Iranian airlines were forced to cancel their international flights as neighboring countries adopted restrictive measures.
On Thursday, Turkmenistan joined the list.
“Since Turkmenistan did not authorise Iranian airlines to fly over its airspace, the Tehran-Dushanbe flight was unable to land at its destination and had to return to Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran,” Civil Aviation Organisation spokesman Majid Akhavan told ISNA.
Despite the sanctions, several small Iranian carriers continue to fly abroad, notably to China, which refuses to bow to U.S. pressure, as well as to Armenia.
Iran has nearly 30 airlines, mostly operating domestic regional routes.
CBS/AFP
