Iran has suspended all flights to Beirut until at least February 18, following a request from Lebanese authorities, amid ongoing tensions over the prevention of an Iranian plane from landing at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport.
The decision comes after clashes in Lebanon, where the Lebanese army intervened to disperse a Hezbollah-led protest, stating that 23 soldiers, including three officers, were injured during the operation.
Hassan Pourfarzaneh, head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, confirmed on Sunday that flights to Lebanon were halted due to ongoing security concerns at Beirut’s airport.
He stated that Lebanese authorities had formally requested the suspension, citing the tense security situation and the cancellation of all external flights to Beirut.
The crisis escalated last Thursday and Friday, when two Iranian planes scheduled to land in Beirut were prevented from taking off from Tehran.
According to AFP, Lebanese officials made the decision after receiving warnings from the US that Israel would target Beirut’s airport if the Iranian planes were allowed to land.
In response, Hezbollah issued a statement on Sunday, calling on the Lebanese government to reverse its decision and allow Iranian planes to land freely.
The group urged authorities to take serious steps to prevent Israel from dictating security measures and violating Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Minister of Public Works, Fayez Rasamni, reassured the public that efforts were underway to find alternative solutions for Lebanese nationals stranded in Iran.
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