Iran cancels Tehran-Baghdad, Tehran-Muscat flights before US sanctions take effect

Iran’s civil aviation authority announced that all flights from Tehran to Baghdad and Muscat will be cancelled at midnight on Tuesday, just hours before new United States sanctions take effect on Wednesday. The move comes after U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that Iranian airlines would be barred from operating in U.S.-linked airspace and services.

The sanctions are part of a broader U.S. campaign that began earlier this month with tighter restrictions on Iran’s trade, energy and financial sectors. Yellen told CNBC that any airline that lands in Iran could be denied fuel, ground handling or ticket sales, and that firms providing those services would be cut off from the dollar system. The threat of “secondary” sanctions means even non‑American companies could be punished for helping Iranian carriers.

Iran’s aviation officials said they are trying to reroute the Baghdad‑bound flights to Najaf Airport in Iraq, while talks with Oman continue to keep other routes, including those to Istanbul, operating as scheduled. Analysts note that although the U.S. cannot close foreign airspace, cutting off refuelling and ground‑handling effectively grounds the planes. Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei dismissed the pressure, saying Washington’s threats will not achieve results and that Tehran remains ready for a decisive war. Meanwhile, Tehran signalled openness to Qatar‑mediated talks aimed at a longer‑term resolution.

The cancellations will disrupt travel for businesspeople and families who rely on the Tehran‑Baghdad and Tehran‑Muscat links. They also illustrate how secondary sanctions can choke a country’s aviation network without direct military action. Observers say the next weeks will test whether Iran can find alternative service providers or whether the pressure will push the two sides back to the negotiating table. The outcome could shape the future of U.S. sanctions policy and regional air travel in the volatile Middle East.