UAE suspends Iranian airline flights as US sanctions squeeze Iran's aviation sector

The United Arab Emirates has suspended all flights operated by Iranian airlines to and from its territory, the Emirati civil aviation authority announced Thursday, citing US sanctions barring Iranian carriers from using airports worldwide. The UAE joins Oman, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan in restricting Iranian airlines. Dubai is a major hub for Iranian carriers with multiple daily flights. The move follows last month's UAE suspension of trade and financial exchanges with Iran, and a central bank block on transactions involving Iran's Bank Melli over alleged money-laundering violations.