FRANKFURT- Lufthansa (LH) announced on Wednesday the suspension of its flights to Tehran (IKA), citing concerns over the heightened tensions in the Middle East. This move comes amidst fears of potential Iranian retaliation following a suspected Israeli airstrike on Iran’s embassy in Syria.
Adding to the tension, an Iranian news agency briefly sparked alarm by posting on social media that Tehran’s airspace had been closed for military exercises. However, the agency later retracted the statement, denying its authenticity.
Lufthansa Flights Suspension
Since April 1, when Israeli warplanes were suspected of bombing the Iranian embassy compound in Syria, countries in the region and the United States have remained on high alert, anticipating a potential attack by Iran.
Lufthansa announced the suspension of flights to and from Tehran from April 6, possibly until April 11.
“We are continuously monitoring the situation in the Middle East and maintaining close communication with the authorities. Ensuring the safety of our passengers and crew members is our utmost priority,” stated a spokesperson for the company to Reuters.
Airline Operations Amidst Tensions
Lufthansa and its subsidiary Austrian Airlines (OS) are Western carriers that provide international flights to Tehran, primarily serviced by Turkish and Middle Eastern airlines (ME).
Despite Lufthansa’s decision, Austrian Airlines, which operates a direct Vienna-Tehran route six times a week, remained scheduled to maintain its flights into Tehran, as indicated on their website and FlightRadar24.
There has been no immediate reaction from other international airlines serving Tehran. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has pledged retaliation against Israel for the strike in Damascus, which resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members, including senior commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi. Although Israel has not formally acknowledged the strike, the Pentagon has confirmed its involvement.
Israel’s Warning to Iran
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned that any Iranian attack on Israel would prompt retaliation, possibly in response to Khamenei.
Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing U.S. and Israeli sources, that the U.S. and its allies are concerned about potential missile or drone strikes by Iran or its proxies targeting Israeli military and government sites.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during a call that the U.S. stands ready to support Israel against Iranian threats, according to the State Department.
U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk reached out to the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Iraq, urging them to convey a message to Iran to de-escalate tensions.
Iran’s foreign ministry stated that the foreign ministers engaged in discussions with Iran’s counterpart over regional issues, with no response from the White House.
On January 8, 2020, just after the plane took off from Tehran Airport, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards shot down a passenger flight operated by Ukraine International Airlines.
The incident occurred during a period of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington following the death of a key Iranian commander in an American drone strike at Baghdad airport.
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