Yesterday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on several Iranian and Turkish companies and a number of aircraft in a move targeting four Iranian airlines. The companies targeted were linked to Mahan Air and Meraj Air, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on its website. It also said it was targeting a number of their aircraft, as well as aircraft from Caspian Airlines and Pouya Air.

"The OFAC [Office of Foreign Assets Control] is designating Turkish citizen Gülnihal Yegane and a network of Istanbul-based firms, including Trigron Lojistik, RA Havacilik and 3G Lojistik, for enabling designated Iranian airline Mahan Air to secure key aviation goods and services and sustain its fleet of Western-manufactured aircraft," the treasury release said.

Istanbul-based Gülnihal Yegane manages multiple businesses that purchase and/or receive aviation parts from foreign vendors, including export-controlled, U.S.-origin items, who then forward those parts to Mahan Air. The businesses purchased export-controlled, U.S.-origin engines from foreign vendors, which were delivered to Istanbul and forwarded to Mahan Air. In February, the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) temporarily suspended Yegane's export privileges. In connection with Mahan Air, Turkey-based Otik Aviation was also designated for providing material support to Mahan Air and regularly supplying the Iranian airline with export-controlled, U.S.-origin aircraft parts.