Iranian Official: Civil Aviation to Survive US Sanctions

EghtesadOnline: Iran’s civil aviation industry will survive any unfair sanctions imposed on the industry, said the spokesman of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization in reaction to US administration’s Thursday decision on imposing sanctions on several Iranian and Turkish entities due to claims of links with four Iranian airlines.

News ID: ۷۸۲۷۲۳

27 May 2018

“Various sanctions have been imposed on Iran’s civil aviation, but the industry has managed to live on … Iran will make use of its experience in the past years,” Reza Jafarzadeh told IRNA on Friday.

The nine companies and individuals targeted were linked to Mahan Air and Meraj Air, the US Treasury Department said in a statement. The list also included 31 aircraft belonging to Meraj, Mahan, Pouya and Caspian airlines. The US Treasury warned those who grant landing rights and provide general services to these aircraft as “they could be exposed to US sanctions”.

The United States alleges the airlines had ferried weapons, fighters and money to proxies in Syria and Lebanon, according to Financial Tribune.

“Potentially sanctionable activities include, but are not limited to procurement of aircraft parts and equipment, maintenance contracts, airline ground services and catering, interline transfer and codeshare agreements, general sales agent services, ticketing services and sales, marketing services, cargo cooperation agreements, cargo sales agent services and agreements, and freight forwarding services and agreements,” the statement added.

The list also included Dena Airways, which operates VIP flights for the government of Iran, according to the US Treasury.

Earlier this month, the United States withdrew from a 2015 nuclear accord that had lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program (formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), dismaying US allies who want to preserve it.

The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency has said that Iran remains in compliance with the deal.