The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned two B777-200ERs and a number of executives and entities linked to Mahan Air (W5, Tehran Mehrabad) for their alleged involvement in the proliferation of Iranian uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to other countries.

EP-MTB (msn 28527) and EP-MTE (msn 33369) were among five B777-200ERs delivered to Iran via a purported Malagasy start-up in a much-publicised case in July 2025. The latter began operations for Mahan Air in February 2026 and was last active on April 21, returning from Guangzhou to Tehran Imam Khomeini. EP-MTB became active only on April 13 for test flights, and has yet to enter revenue service on behalf of the airline.

Mahan Air also operates EP-MTC (msn 30866), which remains active and has not been sanctioned by the US. The other two B777-200ERs have yet to be re-registered in Iran and be inducted into service.

Concurrently with the two aircraft, OFAC designated Mahan Air's controlling shareholder Sepehr Kaveh Kish International Trading Company, and two board members of the parent company, Gholam Abbas Ataei Aghdam and Jamshid Hosseinzadeh. OFAC also named Mohammad Hossein Mahdian for managing passenger and cargo services on behalf of Mahan Air.

Airline subsidiary Saman Air Services was sanctioned for allegedly facilitating shipments to Conviasa, another airline under US sanctions. OFAC also designated Dubai-based Chabok FZCO for sourcing parts on behalf of Mahan Air.

The Iranian airline has been under US sanctions since 2011 for its alleged ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), a paramilitary organisation backed by the Iranian government and used to support other militias in the region.