Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” September 21, 2026.
CNBC
All Iranian airlines will be closed starting September 23, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“How do you do that? If they land, you can’t provide them with fuel. You can’t provide them with landing services. You can’t sell them tickets. Otherwise they’ll be locked out of the dollar system,” Bessent added on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
The Treasury secretary said the United States is putting pressure on Iran “like never before,” saying it is reining in Iranian enablers around the world, including sanctions on banks.
Last week, the Treasury Department announced new sanctions against Russia’s state-owned VTB Bank as part of an effort to isolate Iran economically by targeting its business partners and other financial “enablers.”
UK supports Saudi Arabia
Separately, Britain is reportedly supporting Saudi Arabia against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, and the Royal Air Force will provide air-to-air refueling of Saudi aircraft.
Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham gives a speech outside 10 Downing Street after taking office on July 20, 2026 in London, England.
Isabel Infantes | Reuters
Premier Andy Burnham told reporters the deal was expected to be made in the next few weeks and would continue to be reviewed.
The move comes after US President Donald Trump rejected Riyadh’s request for support against the rebels over the weekend and called off planned airstrikes.
“We are acting in the interests of the UK and the wider region, because of course Saudi Arabia is under attack and we are looking at the possibility of further disruption and we need to keep the (oil) roads open,” Burnham said, according to the Associated Press.
Houthi rebels recently captured Yemen’s Perim Island in the Red Sea, strengthening their control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This puts Iran and its proxies on track to seize control of the two straits and the Strait of Hormuz, vital oil choke points.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is an important alternative for exporting oil by bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, especially for Saudi Arabia, which could divert some of the oil flow exported from the Red Sea via the East-West Pipeline.
Topographic map showing the Middle East region and the Arabian Peninsula, highlighting maritime choke points important to international trade. To the northeast lies the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. In the southwest, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, is highlighted.
Rubkomar | Moments | Getty Images
Last week, NATO chief Mark Rutte hinted that European countries might also provide aid to Saudi Arabia, telling the BBC in an interview: “I wouldn’t be surprised if there were calls between our European allies: ‘Hey, how do we deal with this?'”
