Iran cancels flights to Baghdad and Muscat ahead of US aviation sanctions

Flight cancellations announced

Iranian civil aviation officials reported that flights from Iran to Baghdad and Muscat will be cancelled starting at midnight on September 22, 2026, in anticipation of United States sanctions scheduled to begin the following day. The announcement was conveyed to Tasnim News Agency by a spokesperson for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization.

Negotiations with neighboring airports

The Iranian agency indicated that discussions are underway to reroute flights destined for Baghdad to Iraq’s Najaf Airport. Separate reports from Iran’s ISNA news agency said that talks with Oman are also in progress, while flights to other international destinations such as Istanbul are expected to continue as planned.

US secondary sanctions framework

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that all Iranian airlines will be effectively shut down on September 23 through secondary sanctions targeting aviation service providers. According to Bessent, entities that supply fuel, ground handling or ticket sales to Iranian carriers could face exclusion from the dollar system. Analysts note that while the United States cannot directly close foreign airspace, restricting essential support services can achieve a comparable effect.

Context and remaining uncertainties

The sanctions are part of a broader U.S. measures package introduced earlier in the month, which includes restrictions on trade, energy and financial institutions. Tehran has signalled openness to Qatar-mediated talks but has also maintained a confrontational stance toward Washington. It remains unclear how quickly alternative routing arrangements with Najaf or Oman will be operational, and whether additional flights may be affected by the upcoming sanctions.

Source: Al Jazeera