Mahan Air

Mahan Air took to the skies in 1992 with a single Tupolev Tu-154, becoming Iran's first private airline. Its founder, the late Hamid Arabnejad, built the carrier around a fleet that would grow to include Airbus A340s and Boeing 747s, all painted in a signature shade of purple. From its base at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, the airline quickly expanded to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, marketing itself as a full-service carrier with Persian hospitality at its core.

But that expansion collided with geopolitics. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Mahan Air in 2011, alleging it provided support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force. European nations followed: Germany, France, Italy, and Spain revoked landing rights between 2019 and 2020, citing arms shipments to Syria and Venezuela. In 2024, the European Union imposed fresh sanctions for transporting Iranian drones to Russia. The airline denies official ties to the IRGC, though the allegations have effectively grounded its European network.

Today, Mahan Air operates a truncated international network focused on Asia, including routes to Bangkok, Dubai, Istanbul, and multiple Chinese cities. Its fleet, aging under sanctions that block access to Western parts and maintenance, still flies domestic routes from Tehran's Mehrabad Airport. The airline's cargo division and charter services continue, and it maintains an active social media presence. Despite the restrictions, Mahan Air remains one of Iran's largest private carriers, a symbol of both the country's aviation ambitions and the sanctions that constrain them.[edit]