Flights halted between Iran and Lebanon
Shafaq News/ Head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, Hossein Pour Farzaneh, announced on Sunday the cancellation of all Iranian flights to Lebanon until February 18 at the request of the Lebanese side.
In a press statement, Pour Farzaneh commented on Israel’s threat to target Iranian flights heading to Lebanon, stating he had not heard such a threat.
However, based on written communication between the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization and Lebanon, he said, "The Lebanese side requested that, due to the specific security conditions in Beirut and the suspension of all international flights, Iranian flights to Lebanon be suspended until February 18. As a result, the transport of Iranian passengers will stop during this period."
Pour Farzaneh emphasized that the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization would follow up on the matter daily, saying, "We will definitely resolve this issue."
Protests erupted last Thursday when demonstrators blocked the road to Beirut Airport in protest over the refusal of Lebanese authorities to allow an Iranian plane, carrying Lebanese passengers, to land.
The protests escalated into road closures in several main areas of Beirut on Friday and Saturday, with Hezbollah organizing a demonstration near Beirut International Airport, during which the Lebanese army fired tear gas at protesters.
Additionally, Iran rejected Lebanon's request for two Middle East Airlines planes to evacuate Lebanese citizens stranded in Tehran, after Lebanon refused to allow an Iranian plane to land in Beirut.
Iranian Ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, stated that Tehran welcomes flights from Lebanese airlines but not at the expense of canceling Iranian flights to Lebanon.
