US Targets Turkish Company for Helping Transfer Boeing Aircraft to Sanctioned Iranian Carrier

The US Treasury Department has accused Turkish company Sky Phoenix of helping to transfer three Boeing aircraft to Iranian airline Mahan Air. The planes were diverted through the UAE and Oman before being transferred to Mahan Air, a move that is in violation of US sanctions.

Mahan Air has been under US sanctions since 2011 for providing support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. Despite these restrictions, the airline continues to operate international routes, including flights between Istanbul and Tehran.

The Treasury Department also designated two other Turkish companies, S Sistem and Mes Cargo, for their involvement in coordinating shipments on behalf of Mahan Air. The US has long accused Iran of using front companies and pass-through entities in third countries to conceal the ultimate Iranian end user of US-origin aircraft and aviation-related materials.

The measures are part of a broader effort by the US to target foreign intermediaries and networks that help Iran obtain aircraft, parts, and sensitive technology. The Treasury Department has suspended three Iran-related aviation authorizations, including permissions for overflights and for non-US airlines to fly US-origin or US-controlled commercial aircraft into Iran.