Saudia Group issued a public statement on 3 July 2026 explicitly denying involvement in the alleged transfer of five Boeing 777-200ER aircraft to Mahan Air. The carrier clarified it sold the aircraft on 7 June 2023 to a company outside Saudi Arabia in full compliance with international laws and has maintained no operational or commercial relationship since. Media reports from 30 June 2026 claimed the planes moved to Iran via a third-country deal involving UAE and Oman intermediaries, sparking sanctions circumvention scrutiny. Two aircraft are confirmed at Tehran Mehrabad for refurbishment; three remain in the delivery pipeline. The denial counters narratives that Saudia facilitated the transfer, affirming the 2023 sale was legal and the carrier has had no role in the aircraft’s subsequent fate.