US Sanctions India-Based Firm Over Alleged Links to Iran's Mahan Air

The United States has imposed sanctions on six entities and individuals, including India-based Skiez Travels and Logistics Pvt. Ltd., alleging they supported Iranian airline Mahan Air, which Washington accuses of serving as a logistical arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Announced by the US Department of the Treasury, the sanctions target companies operating as general sales agents (GSAs) for Mahan Air. According to US authorities, the airline has long facilitated the movement of IRGC-Quds Force personnel, military equipment, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and weapons while presenting itself as a civilian carrier. The action is part of Washington's broader effort to disrupt financial and commercial networks linked to Iran's military operations.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said entities providing financial, logistics or commercial support to the IRGC or Mahan Air were helping sustain a terrorist enterprise. He added that the Treasury would continue identifying such networks and cutting them off from the US financial system.

Among those sanctioned is Skiez Travels, which has offices in Srinagar and New Delhi. The company's website states it has represented Mahan Air as its general sales agent in India since 2020.

The sanctions also cover China-based Shanghai Wings International Logistics Co., Shanghai Elite International Travel Co., Russia-based Air Cargo Pro Limited, and Tang Xin, managing director of Shanghai Wings and co-owner of Shanghai Elite, for allegedly supporting Mahan Air's international operations.

Separately, the Treasury designated DadeNegar Startup Studio, alleging it acted as an IRGC front company that used an online platform to gather information on American and Israeli military assets and coordinate targeting requests.

The latest measures highlight the US strategy of tightening sanctions enforcement against Iran through third-country commercial networks. The move signals increased scrutiny of international businesses dealing with entities already under US sanctions and underscores Washington's efforts to restrict the global financial and logistical infrastructure supporting Iran's military activities.