Iran accuses Israel of disrupting Lebanon flights amid rising tensions
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An aircraft flies over Beirut's southern suburbs [File: Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]
Iran accuses Israel of disrupting Lebanon flights amid rising tensions
Al Jazeera-Feb14th2025
Iran has accused Israel of disrupting flights from Tehran to Beirut after an Iranian plane was denied permission to land in Lebanon’s capital.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Friday that Israel had threatened a passenger plane carrying Lebanese citizens from Tehran “which caused a disruption in the country’s normal flights to Beirut airport”.
Later on Friday, Iran barred Lebanese planes from repatriating dozens of Lebanese nationals stranded in Iran, saying it would not allow Lebanese flights to land until its own flights were cleared to land in Beirut.
Iran’s ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, told Iran’s state television on Friday that Iran would allow the planes to land only if Iranian flights were allowed to travel to Beirut.
“For sure the Lebanese government’s request will be accepted, but on condition that they do not impede Iranian flights,” he said.
The standoff has left dozens of Lebanese citizens stranded in Iran for three days after attending a religious pilgrimage.
The statement by Baghaei did not specify the nature of the threat attributed to Israel, but comes after an Israeli army spokesperson claimed that Iran’s elite Quds Force and the Lebanese group Hezbollah had used civilian flights to smuggle funds to Beirut.
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