OFAC designates Iranian airlines and updates Iran and counter-terrorism general licenses

What's on the official record

On 8 September 2026, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published a multi-part action on its Iran sanctions programs at https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260908.

8 September — Counter Terrorism General License 37. OFAC issued Counter Terrorism General License 37, "Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Involving Certain Persons Blocked on September 8, 2026."

8 September — Iran General License J-1 suspended. OFAC published a Notice of Suspension of Certain Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations General Licenses, suspending Iran General License J-1, "Authorizing the Reexportation of Certain Civil Aircraft to Iran on Temporary Sojourn and Related Transactions," as of 8 September 2026.

8 September — Iran General License DD. OFAC issued Iran General License DD, "Authorizing the Wind Down of Certain Civil Aviation-Related and Other Transactions Previously Authorized Under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations."

OFAC also updated the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

One individual was added to the SDN List: MAHRAN, Ibrahim Ali Mohamed Mohamed (a.k.a. IBRAHIM, Mahran), United Arab Emirates; DOB 01 Mar 1986; POB Menia, Egypt; nationality Egypt; secondary sanctions risk under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; passport A28699752 (Egypt) expires 15 Aug 2028; [SDGT] [IFSR]; Linked To: ECT AVIATION SUPPORT LLC.

Eight entities were added with secondary sanctions risk under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886, each [SDGT] [IFSR]:

• AEROBRAVO AIRPLANE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Linked To: ECT AVIATION SUPPORT LLC)
• ECT AVIATION SUPPORT LLC, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Linked To: MAHAN AIR)
• ECT AVIATION SUPPORT LTD, London, United Kingdom (Linked To: MAHRAN, Ibrahim Ali Mohamed Mohamed)
• ICARGO SDN BHD (a.k.a. SCHEDULE FEEDERS SDN BHD), Malaysia (Linked To: MAHAN AIR)
• MES CARGO TRANSPORTATION TOURISM AND FOREIGN TRADE LIMITED COMPANY, Istanbul, Turkey (Linked To: MAHAN AIR)
• S SISTEM LOJISTIK HIZMETLER ANONIM SIRKETI, Istanbul, Turkey (Linked To: MAHAN AIR)
• SKY PHOENIX HAVA YOLLARI TASIMACILIGI TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI, Izmir, Turkey (Linked To: MAHAN AIR)
• TOUR INVEST LLC, Almaty, Kazakhstan (Linked To: MAHAN AIR)

Twenty-seven Iranian passenger air transport entities were added, each [IFSR] [IRAN-EO13902] and subject to secondary sanctions:

• AIR SHIRAZ, Shiraz, Iran
• ASA JET AIRLINE, Tehran, Iran
• ATA AIRLINES COMPANY, Tehran and Tabriz, Iran
• ATLAS AVIATION GROUP (a.k.a. ATLAS AIR PLUS), Kish, Iran
• AVA AIRLINES, Tehran, Iran
• CHABAHAR AIRLINES COMPANY, Chabahar, Iran
• ERWAN AIRLINE COMPANY, Tehran, Iran
• FLY KISH AIRLINES, Iran
• FLY PERSIA AIRLINES, Tehran, Iran
• IRAN AIR TOUR, Tehran, Mashhad and Tabriz, Iran
• IRAN ASEMAN AIRLINES, Tehran, Iran
• JSKY AIRLINES, Tehran and Isfahan, Iran
• KARUN AIRLINES COMPANY, Tehran, Iran
• KISH AIRLINES, Tehran and Kish Island, Iran
• LAD AIRWAYS, Iran
• MEHR AIRWAYS, Tehran, Iran
• NASIM AIR, Esfahan, Iran
• PARS OGHYANOUS KISH COMPANY, Tehran, Iran
• QESHM AIR, Tehran, Iran
• RAIMON AIRWAYS, Tehran, Iran
• SAHA AIRLINES, Tehran, Iran
• SEPEHRAN AIRLINES, Shiraz and Tehran, Iran
• SOROUSH AIR, Tehran, Iran
• TABAN AIRLINES, Tehran, Iran
• TOOS AIRLINES, Mashhad, Kish and Tehran, Iran
• VARESH AIRLINES, Sari and Tehran, Iran
• ZAGROS AIRLINES, Tehran and Abadan, Iran

Unrelated Administrative List Changes: None.

Assessment

For a sanctions or trade-finance committee, the record adds 27 Iranian passenger airlines under [IRAN-EO13902] subject to secondary sanctions and eight entities under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886, linked to MAHAN AIR or ECT AVIATION SUPPORT. The committee can screen counterparties, payments, and trade documentation against these new SDN entries and decide whether to bank, enhance diligence, or hold any transaction that touches the named airlines or the Mahan Air-linked network. The suspension of Iran General License J-1 and the issuance of Iran General License DD and Counter Terrorism General License 37 change the permissible envelope for civil-aviation wind-down transactions.

For an owner or operating executive, the record lets the executive check whether any aircraft, parts, or civil-aviation services in the fleet or supply chain involve the newly designated Iranian airlines or the Mahan Air-linked entities. Iran General License J-1 is suspended as of 8 September 2026, removing the temporary-sojourn reexport authorization, while Iran General License DD and Counter Terrorism General License 37 set wind-down terms for previously authorized transactions. The executive can decide whether to exit or fix any exposure before a buyer or lender checks.

What would change this call

A further OFAC action naming additional entities in the Mahan Air network, or a new general license or FAQ amending the wind-down terms, would change the screening and wind-down picture. A removal or delisting of any named entity would narrow the exposure.

What to check next

Confidence

Confidence in the official record is high: every identifier, license number, and program reference is drawn verbatim from the single OFAC recent-actions page dated 8 September 2026. Filed 23 October 2026 from the record dated 8 September 2026.

Sources

[1] OFAC Recent Actions, "Iran-related Designations; Counter Terrorism Designations; Updates to Iran-related General Licenses; Issuance of Counter Terrorism General License", 8 September 2026, https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260908