Treasury chief says US to halt Iranian airlines’ access to landing spots

WASHINGTON: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that the US will halt Iranian airlines’ access to landing spots, among other measures, as Washington pushes to intensify pressure on Tehran and open the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X, Bessent said Washington will “be shutting down both Iranian airlines’ access to landing spots, refueling, and ticket sales,” without providing further details.

“Only a satisfactory outcome in negotiations will end the downward spiral,” he warned.

Bessent did not specify which airlines he was referring to, although Tehran’s flag carrier Iran Air has previously been designated by the US state department while Iran’s Mahan Air has also been targeted by sanctions.

His latest statement came after the Treasury on Wednesday unveiled sanctions on Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, Tehran’s new agency that collects fees for travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran has effectively closed the waterway, a key path of energy transit, after US-Israeli strikes on Iran from Feb 28. Energy costs have soared since.

US and Iranian forces have observed a ceasefire since April 8 while diplomats push for a negotiated settlement, but the US and Iran traded strikes on Thursday.

المصدر: Free Malaysia Today