By Al-Fassel | 2024-05-01

Mahan Air, the largest Iranian airline, has long been the main means of transporting weapons, military equipment and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to Iran's proxies in the region.

In recent years, the airline has expanded its fleet through the dubious purchase of Airbus airliners, according to reports.

Mahan Air's December 2022 purchase of four decommissioned Turkish Airlines aircraft is in reality a cover for Iran's expansionist agenda in the region, say observers.

"The Iranian regime uses Mahan Air as a tool to spread its destabilizing agenda around the world, including to the corrupt regimes in Syria and Venezuela, as well as terrorist groups throughout the Middle East," the US Treasury said in 2020.

Mahan Air has transported IRGC Quds Force (IRGC-QF) operatives, weapons, equipment and funds abroad in support of the IRGC's regional operations, it said.

The airline has also moved weapons and personnel for Hizbullah.

"Since the onset of the Syrian civil war, Mahan Air has routinely flown fighters and materiel to Syria to prop up the [Bashar al-]Assad regime, which has contributed to the regime's atrocities and displacement of civilians," the US Treasury said.

Brig. Gen. Nosratollah Hosseinipour, a QF commander, acknowledged in 2019 that Iran had transferred fighters to Syria via Mahan Air aircraft.

The "giant Mahan Air planes" were the only way to transport fighters to Syria "because they were able to land at Damascus airport under enemy fire," he was quoted as saying by Mehr news agency.

Violation of international laws

Mahan Air's illegal operations prompted the US Treasury Department to sanction the airline for violation of international laws.

Carrying weapons and military personnel under the guise of transferring passengers is prohibited as it endangers civilian lives.

The United States sanctioned Mahan Air in December 2019 for its role in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, according to the US Treasury.

Mahan Air was previously blacklisted in 2011 for providing support to the IRGC-QF, Hizbullah and Syrian President al-Assad.

In March 2019, France revoked the airline's license to operate in the country, accusing it of transporting military equipment and personnel to Syria and other Middle East war zones. The decision came after Germany banned Mahan Air in January.