Tehran-Dushanbe flight canceled due to US sanctions

The flight of the Iranian airline Varesh Airlines from Tehran to Dushanbe, which was scheduled for September 24, was canceled due to the inability to continue the flight. The plane returned to Imam Khomeini International Airport.

According to published data, after restrictions on the main route, the crew attempted to continue the journey to Tajikistan through Azerbaijani airspace. However, this route was not approved, and as a result, the plane returned to Tehran.

The incident occurred a day after the introduction of a new package of U.S. sanctions against Iran’s aviation sector. The U.S. Department of the Treasury, as part of an initiative called “Economic Outcast,” imposed sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines, including Varesh Airlines. According to the agency, all foreign entities providing these companies with services such as fuel sales, airport maintenance, ticket sales, and other cooperation may be subject to secondary sanctions, and their access to the dollar system will be restricted.

Azerbaijan previously announced that in light of these restrictions, it would suspend the flights of Iranian airlines affected by the sanctions over its airspace. At the same time, restrictions were also imposed on other routes, such as through Baghdad or Muscat, which affected Iran’s international flights.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the implementation of these measures has led to the suspension of a significant portion of Iran’s international flights. In response, Iranian authorities emphasized that air traffic to certain destinations, including Turkey, China, and Najaf, continues, and efforts are being made to find alternative routes.

So far, official authorities have not clarified the exact reason for the rejection of the proposed route through Azerbaijan. Passengers on this flight are trying to clarify the situation and find other ways to make their trip after returning to the airport.