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US aviation sanctions test Armenia’s role as Iran gateway
New US sanctions on Iran’s civil aviation sector, fully in force since Sept. 23, have left Armenia as the only South Caucasus country still allowing Iranian airlines to fly in, according to Amwaj.media. Yerevan is weighing compliance against its reliance on Iran for transit, energy, and trade, while Iranian tourism and overland trade may make Armenia more important as a gateway.
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The sanctions were announced on Sept. 8 and became fully enforceable on Sept. 23 after a wind-down period. They threaten entities that provide services to Iranian carriers. Georgia and Azerbaijan have moved to halt flights to and from Iran. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Yerevan is transparent with its partners and will try to preserve friendly relations, but that there is a line it cannot cross: the risk of Armenia itself being sanctioned.
Armenia relies on Iran for transit, energy, and trade, with bilateral trade at about $770 million in 2025. Iranian tourists visiting Armenia rose from 176,453 in 2024 to 182,364 in 2025, about 8.1% of all foreign tourists. Iranian firms are working on the Kajaran tunnel, and the two countries signed a customs protocol on Sept. 14 and discussed a second border bridge on Oct. 5.
Armenia’s parliament ratified the US-brokered TRIPP route on Oct. 28 by 63 votes to 32. The joint company would give the US a 74% stake and Armenia 26% for an initial 49 years. Iran opposes the route over the US personnel presence and its strategic position along the border, and it reportedly warned Pashinyan that American personnel on the route would be considered “legitimate targets” in a conflict.
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