US treasury chief says businesses working with Iranian airlines risk sanctions

Businesses working with Iranian airlines risk U.S. sanctions, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday, calling the warning a part of a campaign to put economic pressure on Tehran amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Here are some details:

Iranian state media reported over the weekend that Iran has resumed commercial flights from Tehran's international airport for the first time since the start of the war.

Iran's state media reported that flights were scheduled to depart for Istanbul, Oman's capital of Muscat, the Saudi city of Medina and for Iraq and Qatar.

The U.S. Treasury Department has said Washington is imposing a "financial stranglehold" on the Iranian government.

"Doing business with sanctioned Iranian airlines risks exposure to U.S. sanctions," Bessent said in a post on X. 

"Foreign governments should take all actions necessary to ensure that companies in their jurisdictions do not provide services to those aircraft, including the provision of jet fuel, catering, landing fees or maintenance," he said.

Bessent said the Treasury Department "will not hesitate to act against any third parties that facilitate or conduct business with Iranian entities."

A Trump administration official said the Treasury Department will impose secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions "that continue to facilitate Iran's activities."

A fragile ceasefire in the Iran war began nearly three weeks ago.

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states with U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.

Reuters

 

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