1
- See 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2); 31 C.F.R. 1010.100(t).
- See Treasury, Press Release, “Treasury Launches Unprecedented Campaign Against Iranian Regime on Economic
D-Day” (“Aug. 2026 Treasury Press Release”) (Aug. 24, 2026).
- See Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Advisory, “Iran-Related Civil Aviation Industry Advisory” (“July 2019
OFAC Advisory”) (July 23, 2019), at p. 1; see also Aug. 2026 Treasury Press Release, supra note 2.
- For more information about the IRGC-QF’s role in providing financial and material support to terrorist organizations,
see FinCEN, FIN-2024-A001, “FinCEN Advisory to Financial Institutions to Counter the Financing of Iran-Backed Terrorist Organizations” (May 8, 2024).
- Mahan Air was designated by Treasury’s OFAC in October 2011 pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for providing
financial, material and technological support to the IRGC-QF. See Treasury, Press Release, “Treasury Designates Iranian Commercial Airline Linked to Iran’s Support for Terrorism” (Oct. 12, 2011); see also United States Mission to the United Nations, “Remarks at a UN Security Council Emergency Meeting on the Situation in Yemen” (July 13, 2026).
- Treasury, Press Release, “Economic Fury Targets Iranian Missile and UAV Procurement Networks” (Apr. 21, 2026);
see also Department of State, Press Release, “New Iran and Russia Sanctions Designations” (Sept. 10, 2024). FIN-2026-Alert006 September 8, 2026 FinCEN Alert to Counter Iranian Procurement Efforts for its Commercial Aviation Industry The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s (Treasury) Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing this Alert to assist financial institutions1 in identifying and reporting procurement networks supporting Iran’s aviation industry. This Alert supports Operation Economic Outcast, the Trump Administration’s campaign to sever the economic lifelines that sustain the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).2 The information contained in this Alert is derived from analysis of Bank Secrecy Act data, as well as open-source reporting and law enforcement information. Iranian Commercial Aviation Use and Procurement Iran utilizes Iranian commercial airlines, such as Mahan Air and Iran Air, to support the IRGC and its terrorist proxies, including by ferrying fighters, shipping weapons and sensitive technologies, and moving gold and hard currency.3 Mahan Air, for example, has transported weapons, funds, and personnel on behalf of the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF)4 to support its terrorist proxies, such as Lebanese Hizballah and Ansarallah (more commonly known as the Houthis).5 Iranian airlines are also involved in Iran’s procurement and transport of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, ballistic missiles, and other weapons to and from Iran.6 Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) Filing Request:
FinCEN requests that financial institutions reference this Alert by including the key term “FIN-2026- IRANAIR” in SAR field 2 (Filing Institution Note to FinCEN) and the narrative.