The United States imposed sanctions Tuesday on “all remaining Iranian airlines” that have yet to face such penalties, as Washington pushes to step up economic pressure in its war with Tehran.

The US Treasury Department said its latest action takes aim at “36 targets for supporting Iran’s aviation sector, which the regime uses to move weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo.”

These include 27 Iranian airlines, alongside firms based in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.

“Essentially, we’re taking the entire aviation sector of the Iranian economy out of the market,” a US Treasury official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Iran has been at war with the United States since late February, when US-Israeli strikes killed the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader and senior military officials at the start of a vast offensive that sought to destabilize the regime and destroy its nuclear program.

The strikes sparked Tehran’s retaliation in blocking the Strait of Hormuz — causing global oil prices to surge — as the conflict spread in the Middle East.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has vowed to bring “economic D-Day” on Iran and choke Tehran off........

© The Times of Israel