Continued Iranian Flights to Istanbul Despite Sanctions

An Iran Air state-owned aircraft landed at Istanbul Airport on Wednesday, arriving from Tehran. This confirms the continuation of the company's regular flights to Turkey, despite the escalating US sanctions campaign targeting the Iranian aviation sector. Flight tracking data revealed that flight IR719, an Airbus A330-200, departed from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran and arrived in Istanbul at 10:43 AM local time. This was after a delay exceeding an hour from its scheduled arrival. This flight coincides with Washington's intensified pressure on Iranian aviation. On September 8, the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on 27 additional Iranian airlines, plus foreign companies and brokers serving the sector. It warned of secondary sanctions on any foreign entities assisting the targeted Iranian firms. Iran Air itself is already on US sanctions lists. The Treasury Department re-designated it in September 2024, citing accusations of transferring military equipment and materials. Previously, it was listed as an entity controlled by the Iranian government. The continued operation of Iran Air flights to Istanbul gains added significance after Mahan Air, another Iranian airline, suspended all its Turkey flights (including Istanbul and Ankara) from September 21. This followed tightened US restrictions and increased pressure on companies providing ground and commercial services to Iranian carriers. While the landing of an Iran Air plane in Istanbul does not inherently constitute a direct Turkish violation of US sanctions, the ongoing flights highlight that Washington's measures have not yet halted all Iranian airline routes to Turkey, despite the expanded scope of restrictions and risks for financial or commercial service providers.