An Iranian commercial airplane has been detained in Istanbul amid a financial dispute, leaving passengers already boarded waiting as the flight was set to depart.
According to reports, attorneys and bailiffs boarded a Boeing 737 operated by Caspian Airlines right before its planned departure to Iran at Istanbul Airport. They seized the aircraft on the runway, escorting both passengers and crew back to the terminal.
The bailiffs acted under a court order representing a creditor, ACM Temsil Gözetim, due to an outstanding debt of approximately €3 million owed by the Iranian airline.
Caspian Airlines, a state-owned carrier based in Tehran, is among many Iranian airlines facing severe financial difficulties that hinder their ability to maintain aircraft. This situation has persisted for decades, largely due to U.S. economic sanctions.
The sanctions restrict Iran’s access to spare parts and international banking. Additionally, the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which escalated in February, has repeatedly closed airspace.
This seizure occurred just days after new extensive secondary sanctions from the U.S. took effect, with the U.S. Treasury imposing sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines.
The new regulations block access to the U.S. dollar system for foreign airports, fuel suppliers, or ground operators that assist Iranian aircraft.
As a result, Iranian flights have been rapidly suspended in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. Meanwhile, major European airlines like Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines have halted services to Tehran, with only China, Russia, and Pakistan maintaining open routes.
The daily number of international flights from Tehran has dropped by half, from 90 to just 41. Iran has already lodged official complaints with the United Nations.
Turkey has not officially barred Iranian carriers, which is why Caspian Airlines was still operating the route to Istanbul at the time of the seizure.
