Pompeo calls on countries to block Iran’s Mahan Air after flight to Venezuela

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on countries to close their airspace to Iran’s Mahan Air, as they recently transferred to supplies to Venezuela.

Pompeo said at a press conference at the Department of State that the aircraft belonging to Mahan Air, the largest Iranian airline, had delivered supplies to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government in recent days.

“Over the past few days, several aircraft belonging to this company have transported unknown support to the Maduro regime, the same airline that Iran used to transport weapons and fighters across the Middle East,” Pompeo said.

Pompeo added that the flights “must stop”, and that countries should deprive Mahan Air from flying through their airspace, just as many refused them access to their airports.

The U.S. first sanctioned Mahan Air in 2011, saying it provided financial and non-financial support to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

It is worth noting that a Venezuelan official said last week that his country had received materials used in the oil refining industry through an air shipment from Iran to restart the Kardon refinery, which is necessary to produce gasoline.