Iran Aviation Chief: US Sanctions Will Not Halt Flight Operations

The head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, Captain Abuzar Shiroudi, has dismissed the latest US sanctions targeting 27 Iranian airlines as a continuation of Washington’s failed pressure campaign, saying the measures may increase operational and procurement costs but will not bring Iran’s aviation sector to a standstill. He stressed that Iranian aviation has faced restrictions on aircraft, spare parts, banking, insurance, technical services and maintenance for decades, yet airlines have continued operating through the resilience and expertise of domestic specialists.

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines, including Iran Aseman, Iran Airtour, Kish Air, Qeshm Air, Zagros, ATA, Varesh, Sepehran and Chabahar. Shiroudi warned against exaggerating the impact of the measures, saying sanctions do not automatically mean aircraft will be grounded or airlines forced to close. He described aviation as vital national infrastructure serving millions of passengers, including families, patients, students and businesspeople, and argued that ordinary citizens would ultimately bear much of the burden of restrictions on air transportation.

Shiroudi said the continued operation of Iranian airlines despite decades of sanctions demonstrates the sector’s resilience and accumulated expertise. He argued that Washington can place companies on a sanctions list but cannot sanction the knowledge, experience and determination of Iran’s aviation specialists. “If the US goal is to stop Iran’s aviation industry,” he said, “it should know that this goal was not achieved in the past and will not be achieved today either.”