US moves to shut down Iranian airlines globally as Middle East tensions escalate
Mohsin Naqvi arrives in Tehran, meets Iran’s interior minister, says Iranian media
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: The United States has announced sweeping new pressure on Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying Iranian commercial airlines will effectively be shut down worldwide from September 23 as Washington intensifies its sanctions campaign against Tehran.
Bessent said on Monday that foreign companies providing services to Iranian airlines could face secondary sanctions and lose access to the US financial system.
“On September 23rd, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,” Bessent told CNBC.
He said international airports and service providers dealing with Iranian carriers could face restrictions if they continue providing fuel, landing facilities or ticketing services. The measures are aimed at further isolating Iran’s civil aviation network and restricting its access to international financial channels.
The announcement follows earlier US sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector. Reports on Tuesday said some countries had already begun taking steps affecting Iranian carriers following Washington’s warning.
Bessent also warned that Washington had identified financial intermediaries helping Iran conduct transactions and said the United States was taking action against such entities.
He added that US officials had held discussions with several countries over enforcement of the measures, including Chinese financial authorities.
Iranian officials had not immediately issued a detailed public response to the latest aviation restrictions.
Mohsin Naqvi meets Iranian interior minister
Amid the growing tensions, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran and held talks with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.
According to Iranian state media, the two officials discussed Pakistan-Iran relations and ways to finalise agreements aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation.
Naqvi’s visit comes as Islamabad continues diplomatic contacts with both Washington and Tehran in an effort to support regional de-escalation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei previously described Naqvi’s visit as part of ongoing bilateral engagement, saying the two countries’ relations had expanded across several areas.
Officials have also indicated that discussions could cover understandings previously reached between the two countries, including those involving their presidents.
Tanker hit by projectile in Strait of Hormuz
Tensions also remained high around the Strait of Hormuz after a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile, injuring two crew members.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel was conducting an inbound transit when it was hit. The two crew members suffered minor injuries, while the tanker continued towards its next port of call under its own power.
The incident adds to concerns over commercial shipping through the strategic waterway, which is a major route for global energy supplies.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply amid the continuing conflict. Recent data showed only a fraction of the normal number of commercial vessels passing through the waterway.
Iran claims US drone shot down
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian media.
The IRGC claimed that the drone was brought down by an advanced Iranian air defence system operating as part of the country’s integrated air defence network.
The claim had not been independently verified by US officials at the time of reporting.
US says door remains open for negotiations
Despite the escalation, Washington has continued to signal that negotiations with Tehran remain possible.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said the “door is open” for Iran to return to negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
Speaking in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Waltz said the Trump administration believed economic pressure was weakening Tehran while maintaining that Iran could return to the negotiating table.
Iranian officials, however, have said that Tehran has already conveyed its conditions for any renewed negotiations through intermediaries.
The competing positions have left diplomatic efforts facing significant challenges, although Qatar and Pakistan have continued contacts aimed at encouraging dialogue between Washington and Tehran.
US denies visas to Iranian president’s media team
The United States has also refused visas to members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s media team, according to an Iranian official.
Habibollah Abbasi, director-general of public relations in the Iranian president’s office, described the decision as a hostile act.
Pezeshkian is expected in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where the latest developments in the Middle East are likely to remain a major focus.
Iran warns of response to any new US attack
Iranian military officials have warned that any new US offensive would trigger a strong response.
Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said Tehran would change its weapons and target locations if another attack was launched against Iran.
“If a new aggression occurs, we will certainly change the weaponry and the geography of the war,” he said, according to Iranian media.
Iranian officials have also said that messages and conditions for negotiations have been conveyed to Washington through intermediaries.
Houthi attacks add to regional tensions
The situation has also deteriorated in Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi forces have expanded their military activity and launched attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The developments have raised concerns over the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another strategically important shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Yemen’s government-affiliated Giants Brigades said it had destroyed five Houthi military vehicles near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The claim could not be independently verified.
The strategic importance of the area has increased as fighting in Yemen threatens commercial shipping and regional energy infrastructure.
Qatar pushes for renewed US-Iran talks
Qatar says its mediation team has been working for nearly two weeks on proposals aimed at restarting negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said mediators were communicating with both sides and moving between capitals in an effort to make progress.
Qatar, along with Pakistan, has been involved in diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran.
Al-Ansari said Qatar had received indications from US officials that Washington wanted to reach an agreement, while stressing the importance of a regional solution that protects international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Global energy markets remain under pressure
The continuing disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has raised concerns over global energy supplies and shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz normally carries a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Reduced commercial traffic through the waterway has therefore increased concerns about supply disruptions.
Oil prices remain highly sensitive to developments in the conflict. Reuters reported on Tuesday that crude prices rose as investors watched for possible diplomatic progress between Washington and Tehran, while uncertainty over the security situation continued to keep markets volatile.
The conflict has also affected regional energy infrastructure and shipping routes, increasing pressure on governments and international markets.
With Washington maintaining economic pressure, Iran rejecting some US conditions and regional armed groups continuing attacks, diplomatic efforts remain focused on preventing further escalation and restoring the security of vital waterways.
