Aviation History (#6): The Terrorist Airline?
Exploring the Complex History and Geopolitical Significance of One of the World's Most Controversial Airlines
Let’s explore one of the most controversial airlines in the world: Iran’s private airline, Mahan Air.
Mahan Air is a privately owned Iranian airline based in Tehran, Iran, and is arguably one of the most heavily sanctioned and internationally criticized airlines in the world. Mahan Air is also significantly reduced in international operations in recent years due to escalating geopolitical tensions around Tehran and broader regional conflict. Its main hubs are Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (for international flights) and Mehrabad International Airport (for domestic flights).
Mahan Air is widely reported to have affiliations with the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The extent of this affiliation is debated, but it has been designated as a “target of opportunity” by the U.S. military in various assessments and conflict-related analyses involving Iran’s military infrastructure. The Quds Force—often described as Iran’s external operations branch within the IRGC—is one of the most strategically significant components of Iran’s military structure.
Mahan Airlines was banned between 2019 and 2020 from Germany, France, Italy, and Spain due to allegations of involvement with the Maduro government in Venezuela and the Assad regime in Syria. In 2024, the airline was sanctioned by the European Union for allegedly transporting military equipment to Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It has also been suspected of transferring funds to Hezbollah in Lebanon, though this has not been independently confirmed. The airline is currently under U.S. sanctions.
Mahan Air was established in 1991 as a full-service carrier and began operations in June 1992 as Iran’s first privately owned airline. The name “Mahan” is taken from the city of Mahan in Kerman Province in central Iran. The airline is reportedly owned by the Mol-Al-Movahedin Charity Institute, a non-profit organization allegedly linked to Iranian politician Hossein Marashi. Marashi previously served as Iran’s Vice President for Cultural Heritage and Tourism from 2003 to 2005 and represented Kerman in the Iranian parliament. Due to limited transparency around ownership structures, aspects of this relationship remain subject to interpretation and dispute.
The airline acquired a trio of Airbus A300-B4 aircraft in 1999, followed by A310s and A320s in 2002. According to a ruling by the British High Court, three Boeing 747-400 aircraft were unlawfully taken by Mahan Air from their rightful owner, Blue Sky Airlines (now defunct), in 2008 using allegedly forged bills of sale. When ordered to return the aircraft to Europe, Mahan claimed it could not comply due to an investigation by Iranian authorities, stating that the aircraft had to remain in Iran. Critics have interpreted this as a legal justification to retain control of the aircraft.
From 2006 to 2026, Boeing 747-400s, Airbus A300-600s, Avro RJ-100s, and Airbus A340-600s were gradually acquired by Mahan Airlines. Whether all acquisitions were fully transparent or compliant with international norms has been widely debated.
The airline carried approximately 5.4 million passengers in 2015, with an average load factor of 77%, a figure that is difficult to independently verify in comparison to other regional carriers.
I will now elaborate further on the carrier’s bans. It bears reiterating that the airline is alleged to be affiliated with the Quds Force of the IRGC, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Industry and Security, while the U.S. Department of the Treasury is the agency that formally imposed sanctions on Mahan Air.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury stated: “Based in Tehran, Mahan Air provides transportation, funds transfers, and personnel travel services, and further provides financial, material, and technological support to the IRGC-QF.” During the Venezuelan presidential crisis, Mahan Air launched a direct Caracas–Tehran route in April 2019.
In early 2019, the German government banned Mahan Air from landing in Germany, where it had previously served Munich and Düsseldorf airports, citing security concerns and alleged involvement in Syria. This ban continues as of 2026.
In November 2019, the Italian government also announced a ban on Mahan Air flights effective December 15, 2019. The move followed a visit by then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during which he urged Italian officials to restrict Iranian aviation activity. Remaining destinations within the European Union at the time included Barcelona, Spain, and seasonal routes to Athens and Varna. However, in April 2020, the airline also lost its traffic rights to Spain, further restricting its European operations.
According to the BBC, after Iran officially suspended flights to and from China in 2020, Mahan Air reportedly continued operating flights to the People’s Republic of China in February and March of that year. Flight-tracking data shows that while some flights were used for aid and repatriation, others were part of continued operations during the early COVID-19 outbreak. Mahan Air was later widely criticized in public discourse regarding its role in travel during the pandemic period.
More recently, in October 2024, the European Union imposed sanctions on Mahan Air for allegedly supplying cruise missiles and Shahed “suicide” drones to Russia during the ongoing war in Ukraine. During the Israel–Hamas war, Iran has also been suspected of using Mahan Air as an intermediary for financial transfers to Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon.
There have also been allegations regarding sanctions circumvention strategies. In July 2025, Mahan Air was reported to have acquired five Boeing 777-200ER aircraft through a complex procurement process involving intermediary companies, temporary registrations, and ferry flights routed through multiple jurisdictions. The aircraft, previously operated by Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary NokScoot (now Scoot), were subsequently incorporated into Mahan Air’s fleet.
I had intended to detail several incidents in Mahan Air’s operational history, but the list is extensive. I will instead highlight one recent public incident.
In 2022, Mahan Air Flight 63 from Tehran (IKA) to Dubai International Airport (DXB) reportedly diverted unexpectedly to Kish International Airport (KIH) in Iran while approaching UAE airspace. The aircraft was allegedly instructed to land by Iranian authorities to prevent the departure of family members of Ali Daei, one of Iran’s most well-known footballers. Following the landing, the passengers were reportedly returned to Tehran by government transport.
Currently, Mahan Air operates a fleet of approximately 35 aircraft, including Boeing 747-400s and Boeing 777-200ERs. The fleet also includes older aircraft types such as BAe 146 regional jets and Fokker 50 aircraft.
Ironically, Mahan Air’s motto is “The Spirit of Excellence.”
They do not appear to acknowledge the irony.
Please note: Brooke In The Air Travel does not and will not facilitate travel to or through Iran under any circumstances.
As you can see, geopolitics is integral to understanding global air travel. Thank you for reading. Book your travel consultation and purchase travel merchandise, and learn more through our blog at brookeintheairtravel.net.
