US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sends envoys to pressure countries to isolate Iran economically

On September 26, 2026, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that he had sent envoys worldwide to pressure countries to economically isolate Iran. He cited new restrictions: Turkey and Oman halted flights from Iran's Mahan Air, the UAE stopped all Iranian airline flights, and the UAE central bank blocked transactions with Iran's Bank Melli. Turkey also revoked the license of Iran's Bank Mellat. These actions are part of a broader US effort to increase economic pressure on Iran, though smaller Iranian carriers still operate to China.