The General Civil Aviation Authority announced the ban on Iranian carriers from operating flights in and out of UAE airports, citing U.S. sanctions that prohibit Iranian airlines from using global aviation infrastructure—
The move marks a sharp escalation in the UAE’s compliance with Washington’s pressure campaign amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Dubai, the UAE’s commercial aviation hub, handles roughly 70,000 Iranian passengers a month; the ban also cuts off a lucrative business link that many Iranian firms depend on.
Earlier this month, the UAE suspended trade and financial exchanges with Iran, and its central bank blocked transactions to and from Iran’s Bank Melli on the grounds of money‑laundering and terrorism‑financing violations—
A passenger booked an Iran Airtour flight from Tehran to Dubai and was told by a staff member that the flight would be cancelled before departure, underscoring the human toll of the new restrictions.
The ban joins a growing list of countries—Turkey, China, and Armenia—allowing limited flights, while larger carriers are forced to reroute through alternative hubs such as Istanbul or Tehran‑to‑Kunming routes. The UAE will enforce the ban until further notice, effectively removing Iranian airlines from the Kingdom’s airspace and prompting them to seek new markets or face complete isolation from the global aviation network.