Iran warns neighboring states of retaliation over U.S. aviation sanctions

Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, told state media that countries cooperating with United States sanctions on Iranian airlines risk having their airports unable to operate flights to Iran. The warning follows the U.S. Treasury's recent sanctions targeting 27 Iranian carriers and foreign firms that facilitate their operations, which have already led to the cancellation of all Iranian flights to the United Arab Emirates and suspensions by Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The United States has warned that airports and service providers assisting Iranian aircraft could face secondary sanctions, cutting them off from the U.S. financial system. Analysts say the threat is intended to deter regional states from participating in Washington's pressure campaign, though Iran has not specified the means of retaliation, leaving the warning ambiguous.

In the early weeks of the February-28 conflict between the United States and Iran, Iran launched missiles and drones that prompted temporary airspace closures across the Gulf. While limited services have resumed, the International Air Transport Association estimates a collective $4.3 billion loss for Middle Eastern airlines in 2026, and the World Travel & Tourism Council reported daily visitor-spending losses of about $600 million.

Security analyst Wolfgang Pusztai noted that a direct attack on regional airports is unlikely and that Iran may retain aviation links with countries such as Turkey, Pakistan and China. He suggested the primary impact of the sanctions may be psychological, highlighting the visible nature of flight disruptions. The reduced flight capacity, now about 49 percent lower than a year earlier, is pushing Iranian travelers toward land routes and could affect thousands of jobs in the aviation and tourism sectors across the region.