Oct 4, 2019, 10:48 AM

Pompeo pressures Italy to ban Iran's Mahan Airlines

TEHRAN, Oct. 04 (MNA) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called on Italy to ban Iran’s Mahan Airlines, pressuring Italian officials into complying with Washington’s sanctions on Iran.

Pompeo made the comment in a meeting with Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Thursday.

However, there has been no official confirmation suggesting Rome has agreed to the ban. Thursday reports showed that Di Maio had responded to Pompeo’s remarks on Mahan Air by saying that related authorities in Rome would make an announcement on the issue in the coming days.

Washington has included Mahan Air in its list of sanctions on Iran alleging that the major carrier has been assisting the IRGC, Iran's elite military force which has been blacklisted by the US.

Italy has received rounds of waivers from the US on Iran sanctions. It is not clear how the country will decide on Mahan Air, one of two airlines that operate flights between Iran and Italy, as such a ban could impact the relations between Tehran and Rome.

US' anti-Iran sanctions were put back in place after Trump pulled US out of the 2015 nuclear deal inked between Iran and 5+1 in May 2018.

MA/PR

News ID 150790