Azerbaijan bans Iranian flights due to US sanctions
Quick Look
The Azerbaijan Airlines company announced that Baku banned flights of Iranian airlines to Azerbaijan due to new US sanctions on the Iranian aviation sector, effective September 22, 2026, at a time when Trump warned Iran of an agreement or total destruction, and Ben Gvir sought to take over the Israeli defense portfolio before the elections.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The United States imposes sanctions on the Iranian aviation sector as part of its pressure on Iran to reach a nuclear agreement, while Israel is witnessing an internal debate over its security policies with Ben Gvir running for the defense portfolio.
The Azerbaijan Airlines company announced on Tuesday that Baku has banned flights of Iranian airlines to Azerbaijan due to US sanctions.
The company said in a statement on Tuesday, “Due to the new package of sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran, especially the sanctions imposed on the aviation sector, it was decided to suspend Iranian airline flights to Azerbaijan as of September 22, 2026,” according to the Russian Sputnik news agency.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent said on Monday that, as of September 23, Iranian airlines will not be able to operate flights and will be deprived of ground handling services due to the sanctions.
US President Donald Trump, in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, gave Iran a choice between reaching an agreement or being subjected to comprehensive destruction. Despite his expectation that his administration would reach an agreement to end the conflict with Tehran after the midterm congressional elections, Trump called on the countries of the world to join him in isolating Iran economically and pushing it to the negotiating table.
This speech came on the eve of the start of the ban that Washington announced to impose on the Iranian aviation sector, starting today, which targets Iranian airline companies and those providing services to them abroad.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced on Tuesday that he will seek to assume the defense portfolio in the next government, about a month before the legislative elections, according to Agence France-Presse.
The far-right minister said, during a press conference in Jerusalem: “The reason for my candidacy is that it is time to change the prevailing mentality within the Israeli army.”
Ben Gvir, one of the most prominent pillars of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, added: “The time has come to change the security doctrine of the State of Israel, with one goal, which is to achieve a decisive victory on all fronts.”
The minister presented a “security plan” that includes “encouraging voluntary migration” of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, disarming the Palestinian Authority, which he describes as “terrorist,” in addition to enhancing support for Israeli soldiers.
In early September, Ben Gvir, known for his provocative statements and movements, presented a proposal to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population and send them abroad.
His announcement of his candidacy for the position of Defense Minister sparked a wave of condemnation among the Israeli opposition.
Gadi Eisenkot, the prime ministerial candidate, accused his main rival, Netanyahu, on the “X” platform, of having “lost his mind” for accepting “the criminal Ben Gvir” into his coalition.
In his youth, Ben Gvir was previously accused more than 50 times of incitement to hatred or violence.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Azerbaijan will seek to expand the Iranian travel ban to include other countries if US sanctions continue
Possible · Within weeks
Ben Gvir will continue to push to take over the defense portfolio before the next Israeli elections
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the sanctions affect Iranian flights to other countries in Azerbaijan?
- What is Iran's official reaction to Azerbaijan's travel ban?
- Will Ben Gvir's candidacy lead to a real change in Israeli security doctrine?
