Pompeo Urges End to Overflight Rights for Iranian Airline Flying to Venezuela

Pompeo Urges End to Overflight Rights for Iranian Airline Flying to Venezuela
An Airbus A340-600 airplane of Mahan Air is seen at Simon Bolivar International Airport outside Caracas, Venezuela April 8, 2019. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)
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WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 29 called on countries to deny overflight rights to Mahan Air, an Iranian airline under U.S. sanctions, which he said recently delivered cargoes of “unknown support” to the Venezuelan government.

The United States maintains punishing sanctions on Iran aimed at containing its regional power in the Middle East and has hit Venezuela with similarly tough measures in an effort to force socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power.