Bessent: Iranian airlines to halt operations from September 23

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced all Iranian airlines will cease operations from September 23 under Washington's secondary-sanctions pressure on aviation service providers.

• Bessent said Chinese officials are "heavily engaged" in the U.S. economic pressure campaign against Iran.
• He said providers that refuel, service, or sell tickets to Iranian aircraft risk exclusion from the dollar-based financial system.
• Bessent said Washington is holding positive discussions with Chinese financial authorities, including central bank governor Pan Gongsheng, on sanctions compliance.
• The Treasury's OFAC suspended three aviation licenses covering flights over Iranian territory and non-U.S. airlines operating American-built aircraft in Iran.
• Iraq announced it will suspend Iranian airlines' flights from Tuesday morning, becoming the first country to comply with the U.S. sanctions.
• Bessent said the Treasury has so far sanctioned three banks.
• He said a Dubai branch of Egypt's second-largest bank transferred over $1.8 billion to the Iranian system and will be closed.
• Bessent said Turkey's thirty largest banks will be shut down, accusing Russia's second-largest bank of similar practices.