DUBAI (Kashmir English): The United Arab Emirates has suspended all flights to and from Iran operated by Iranian airlines for an indefinite period.
According to the news agency Arab News, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority announced that the suspension would take effect on Thursday and remain in place until normal air traffic resumes.
The Authority stated that the decision to suspend flights by Iranian airlines was made in light of sanctions imposed by the United States restricting Iranian airlines’ access to airports worldwide.
In its statement, the Authority noted that the situation would be monitored until air traffic between Iran and the UAE returns to normal, and that relevant authorities and the public would be kept informed of any developments.
This decision comes at a time when the US has imposed sweeping new secondary sanctions against Iranian airlines, aimed at curtailing the global operations of Iran’s civil aviation sector.
Under the US measures, foreign airports and companies have been warned that providing services to Iranian airlines such as refueling, landing assistance, ticket sales, and other facilities could expose them to severe financial penalties.
On September 8, the US Department of the Treasury announced a broad package of sanctions against Iran’s aviation sector, adding 27 Iranian airlines to the sanctions list.
The US action also targeted a total of 36 entities and individuals linked to the Iranian aviation industry.
