An Associated Press journalist, Farnoosh Amiri, reported on Wednesday, citing “an informed source,” that Turkish authorities on Wednesday, amid U.S. sanctions, informed the company “Mahan Air” that it should put its flights to this country on “hold.” Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, on Tuesday, 17 Shahrivar, by announcing new sweeping sanctions against the aviation sector in Iran, warned that any person or company that cooperates with sanctioned airline companies in Iran will be at risk of losing access to the global financial system.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it imposed sanctions on 36 targets related to Iran’s aviation sector as part of the “economic ejectment” operation. The ministry said the Islamic Republic uses Iran’s aviation sector to transfer weapons, personnel, and unlawful shipments.