At least 83 flights operated by U.S.-sanctioned Iranian airlines landed in Turkey in the five days after a key American sanctions deadline, according to flight data analyzed by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, putting a new spotlight on whether Washington will enforce its escalating pressure campaign against companies servicing the carriers in a NATO ally. The Sept. 28 FDD report said U.S. pressure has helped push Iranian airlines out of several regional markets, including Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, but found that Turkey remains a significant gap in Washington’s effort to ground the carriers. The findings come after the Treasury Department announced sweeping new sanctions on Iran’s aviation industry on Sept. 8, designating all 27 remaining active Iranian airlines under Executive Order 13902.
Treasury said Iran's aviation sector has been used to transport weapons, personnel and illicit cargo and warned foreign businesses about the risks of continuing to support sanctioned carriers. TRUMP PUSHES F-35 SALE TO TURKEY, BUT HIS OWN STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS ERDOĞAN HASN'T MET LEGAL REQUIREMENTS The continued Iranian flights come at a sensitive moment in U.S.-Turkey relations. Turkey is a NATO ally, and President Donald Trump has publicly emphasized his close relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan while signaling openness to restoring Ankara’s access to the F-35 fighter jet program.
Turkey was removed from the program after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air-defense system, a move that also triggered U.S. sanctions in 2020. During a July 2026 visit to Turkey, Trump said his administration would lift those sanctions and was considering allowing Ankara to buy F-35s, though congressional restrictions tied to Turkey’s possession of the S-400 remain an obstacle. Erdoğan said as recently as Sept. 24 that he expects Washington to take "concrete steps" toward Turkey’s return to the program.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that after a Sept. 23 wind-down deadline, companies providing sanctioned Iranian airlines with services such as fuel or landing support risked losing access to the U.S. financial system. FDD cited Bessent saying that by that date, Iranian airlines would be "shut down around the world." But FDD researchers Ahmad Sharawi and Sinan Ciddi said their review of Flightradar24 flight histories showed that at least 83 flights operated by U.S.-sanctioned Iranian carriers landed in Turkey between Sept. 23 and Sept. 27, after that deadline had passed. The flights landed in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, according to the report.
The researchers identified 12 sanctioned Iranian airlines among the arrivals. Iran Airtour and Caspian Airlines each accounted for 12 landings, Iran Air for 10, and ATA Airlines and AVA Airlines for nine each, according to FDD. Eight of the 12 carriers identified in the flight data were among the airlines newly designated by Treasury on Sept. 8.
IRAN LOSES KEY ECONOMIC LIFELINE IN MIDDLE EAST THAT TRUMP'S SANCTIONS COULDN'T REACH AS DEADLOCK PERSISTS The Treasury Department told Fox News Digital that it has continued raising the issue directly with senior Turkish officials and has warned Turkish companies and financial institutions about their potential sanctions exposure. "Following Treasury’s productive engagements with senior Turkish authorities last month, which quickly translated into tangible results—including the cancellation of Mahan Air flights and the revocation of Bank Mellat’s license—we have continued discussions regarding Türkiye’s aviation links to Iran and the sanctions exposure Turkish financial institutions and businesses face for facilitating these flights," a Treasury spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "We have made those risks clear and continue to address these issues at senior levels with the Turkish government," the spokesperson said.
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