Iranian Mahan Air Flight Lands in China Despite US Sanctions Threat

A Mahan Air passenger flight from Tehran landed in Guangzhou as new U.S. measures targeting Iran’s aviation sector came into force

BEIJING: An Iranian Mahan Air passenger aircraft landed in southern China on Wednesday, despite a U.S. warning that countries and companies providing services to Iranian airlines could face sanctions.

According to flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24, Mahan Air flight IRM093, an Airbus A340 operating from Tehran, landed in Guangzhou at around 4:39 p.m. local time on September 23. The flight was not listed on the official website of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, according to reports citing the tracking data.

The flight arrived on the same day that Washington's new measures targeting Iran's commercial aviation sector took effect.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had warned that foreign companies or airports providing Iranian aircraft with fuel, landing services or ticketing could face consequences affecting their access to the U.S. dollar-based financial system.

Bessent said in a CNBC interview that Washington intended to effectively halt the international operations of Iranian airlines and warned that entities continuing to provide services could face U.S. financial restrictions.

China Rejects U.S. Sanctions

Beijing has publicly opposed the American measures.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China consistently opposes what it describes as unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorization from the United Nations Security Council.

The Chinese position comes as Iranian airlines face disruption on several international routes. Reports said some flights to destinations including Baghdad, Muscat, Qatar, Georgia and Azerbaijan were cancelled, while flights to China and some other destinations continued.

Mahan Air has operated regular services to several Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing.

The United States has previously imposed extensive sanctions on Mahan Air, and the latest measures broaden pressure on Iran's aviation network by targeting entities that provide services to Iranian carriers.

Pressure on Iran's Aviation Sector

The new U.S. measures are part of a wider campaign of economic pressure against Tehran. Their implementation has already created uncertainty for Iranian airlines, with some international services suspended while others remain operational.

The landing of the Mahan Air aircraft in Guangzhou therefore comes amid a widening dispute between Washington and Beijing over how U.S. sanctions on Iran should be enforced internationally.

For now, the continued operation of some Iranian flights to China indicates that commercial air links between the two countries remain active despite the latest U.S. measures.