US Hits Iran With Fresh Sanctions, Targets 27 Airlines

The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on 'all remaining Iranian airlines' that have not previously been penalised, as Washington intensifies economic pressure on Tehran. The US Treasury Department said Tuesday that the latest measures target '36 targets for supporting Iran's aviation sector, which the regime uses to move weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo.' The sanctions affect 27 Iranian airlines as well as companies operating in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Malaysia and Kazakhstan. 'Essentially, we're taking the entire aviation sector of the Iranian economy out of the market,' a US Treasury official told reporters on condition of anonymity. The latest action comes amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, which began in late February after US-Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader and senior military officials at the beginning of a major offensive. Tehran responded by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a surge in global oil prices as the conflict widened across the Middle East. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described Washington's strategy as an 'economic D-Day' against Iran, with a pledge to cut off the financial channels sustaining Tehran.