Turkey seizes Iranian plane at Istanbul Airport

Turkish enforcement officers seized an Iranian passenger jet at Istanbul Airport on Monday, September 28, 2026, just as it prepared to depart for Iran with passengers already onboard.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 registered EP-KPB and operated by Tehran-based Caspian Airlines, was grounded under a court order enforcing a debt claim of approximately €3 million (about $3.4–3.5 million).

Lawyers representing the creditor, Turkish aviation representation and supervision firm ACM Temsil Gözetim, and court-appointed bailiffs arrived at the plane after it had completed boarding and pre-departure preparations.

Officers ordered passengers and cabin crew to disembark and return to the terminal.

The aircraft remained at the airport under the seizure order and was prevented from taking off.

Majid Akhavan, spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation, confirmed that a Turkish court ordered the seizure on Monday and that passengers were required to leave the aircraft.

He stated that the debt relates to airport services. The creditor is ACM Temsil Gozetim, an aviation services company.

Caspian Airlines described the incident as “an administrative matter in Turkey” that has temporarily restricted the operation of one of its Boeing aircraft.

The carrier said legal and administrative steps to resolve the issue are underway and that it has arranged alternative measures to keep its flights running.

Caspian, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Tehran, operates domestic and limited international routes, including services to Türkiye.

The seizure occurs against the backdrop of intensified US sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector.

On September 8, the US Treasury Department designated 27 Iranian airlines—covering remaining carriers not previously sanctioned—under its “Operation Economic Outcast” campaign.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that from September 23, airports and companies providing fuel, landing services, or tickets to Iranian aircraft risk secondary sanctions that could cut them off from the US financial system.

Many regional countries, including Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, have revoked flight permissions for Iranian carriers.

Türkiye has not formally barred them, allowing limited operations by carriers such as Caspian to continue.

Iranian travelers have increasingly turned to overland routes through Türkiye and Armenia amid the disruption.

Tehran has lodged formal complaints with the United Nations, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the International Court of Justice over the broader sanctions pressure.

As of Tuesday, the aircraft remained grounded in Istanbul pending resolution of the debt claim.

The legal process between Caspian Airlines and ACM Temsil Gözetim continues, with the airline working to maintain its schedule through alternative arrangements.