Iran has threatened to disrupt airports in neighbouring countries if they cooperate with US pressure to stop Iranian flights, escalating a dispute that is already cutting regional air links. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, delivered the warning on state television as sanctions pressure from Washington intensified against Iranian carriers and the airport services they rely on.
The threat comes after reports of cancellations and restrictions on routes including Baghdad and Muscat, while some carriers continue to operate to destinations such as China and Russia. Iranian authorities have also faced suspension of flights on some other regional routes, including in Georgia and Azerbaijan. The US Treasury has signalled that secondary sanctions could force service providers to stop supporting Iranian airlines, raising the risk that fuel, landing, ticketing and other airport functions could be affected across the region. Rezaei did not explain how Iran would carry out the warning.