US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent termed state-owned Iranian airlines “outlaws”, and warned that anyone accommodating those airlines could be sanctioned.

“One thing that we’re not going to do is restrict movement for religious reasons, so Iranians who want to make the pilgrimage to Makkah and Madina will be allowed. We will also allow valid humanitarian reasons,” he explained.

“But the other thing we can do is that when therse airlines fly, they have to be refuelled, they sell tickets, they pay landing fees — anyone who accepts those, we will sanction,” he stated.

“They should be very clear that the state-owned Iranian airlines are outlaws and they cannot do this.”