U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that all Iranian airlines will effectively be shut down starting Sept. 23. He said Washington aims to deny those carriers the ability to operate internationally by blocking access to fuel, landing services and ticket sales.
Speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Bessent said that if Iranian aircraft land, they must not be provided with fuel, airport services or ticketing support. Otherwise, he warned, the parties involved could be cut off from the dollar system.
Bessent said Washington was pressuring Iran “like never before” and was moving against Tehran’s enablers worldwide, including through sanctions on banks. Last week, the Treasury announced new sanctions on Russia’s state-controlled VTB Bank as part of a broader effort to economically isolate Iran by targeting its business partners and other financial “enablers.”
G7 condemns Houthi attacks
Separately, the G7 called for an end to attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels against Yemen and Saudi Arabia, describing them as “unacceptable continued strikes.” The group also urged the Houthis to halt all military actions and attacks on civilian shipping, and called on Iran to end its support for the rebel group.
The Houthis reportedly said they struck “sensitive” sites in the Saudi capital Riyadh over the weekend, with fire and smoke seen near the city’s airport.
The rebels have also recently seized Yemen’s Perim Island in the Red Sea, tightening their grip on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. According to CNBC’s assessment, that raises the risk that Iran and its proxies could gain leverage over two critical oil chokepoints at once: Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz.
Bab el-Mandeb is an important alternative export route for oil shipments seeking to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, especially for Saudi Arabia, whose East-West pipeline allows part of its crude flows to be redirected toward the Red Sea.
Against that backdrop, the United Kingdom is reportedly set to support Saudi Arabia against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The Royal Air Force is expected to provide air-to-air refueling for Saudi aircraft. Prime Minister Andy Burnham told reporters the arrangement would last for a matter of weeks and would remain under review.
The move follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision over the weekend to refuse Riyadh’s request for help against the rebels and, according to reports, cancel a planned airstrike. Last week, NATO Secretary Mark Rutte also signaled in a BBC interview that European countries could provide support to Saudi Arabia.
