Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority denied a request from Lebanon’s MEA to land aircraft in Tehran, citing processing requirements through Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile, passengers faced delays as flight cancellations occurred due to landing clearance issues. Protests erupted near Beirut’s airport in response to the government’s decision, which was criticized as a violation of sovereignty, amid accusations from Israel regarding Hezbollah’s activities.
Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority has declined a request from Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) to land two aircraft in Tehran, asserting that such requests require processing through Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry, in accordance with bilateral agreements. The MEA request was submitted to the Lebanese embassy in Tehran, and the ambassador is preparing to send an official communication to Iran’s Foreign Ministry. The ambassador indicated that the process may experience delays due to a public holiday in Iran on Friday.
As a result of the ongoing dispute, hundreds of Lebanese passengers found themselves stranded at Tehran’s airport for over four hours following the cancellation of their Iran Air flight to Beirut, which was unable to secure landing clearance. Additionally, officials at Beirut’s airport confirmed that they informed Iran’s Mahan Air that two of its scheduled flights to Beirut, one set for Thursday and another for Friday, would not be allowed to land, postponing both flights to the following week without disclosing further details.
In response to the cancellations, protesters took to the streets near Beirut’s airport, blocking roads and burning tires to voice their discontent with the Lebanese government’s actions, which they deemed a violation of the nation’s sovereignty. This unrest was fueled by an Israeli military spokesperson’s recent allegations that Iran’s Quds Force and Hezbollah have been using the airport for smuggling funds meant for Hezbollah’s military initiatives against Israel, intensifying tensions in the region.
Hezbollah firmly rejected these allegations, condemning them as part of an ongoing pattern of Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty. The group accused the international community, particularly the United States, of complicity in these actions and called for widespread international condemnation of Israel’s behavior, as well as intervention from relevant global bodies.
This incident occurs shortly after Lebanese officials conducted a significant inspection of an Iranian aircraft carrying a diplomatic delegation, a move that sparked considerable political controversy. The aviation dispute is reflective of the complex geopolitical tensions involving Lebanon, Iran, and Israel, further complicating national and regional dynamics.
The situation between Iran and Lebanon over flight clearances reflects deeper geopolitical tensions, particularly exacerbated by accusations from Israel against Hezbollah and Iran. The decision by Iranian authorities to decline landing permissions has caused significant disruption to passenger travel and has ignited domestic protests in Lebanon, highlighting the ongoing struggle over national sovereignty and external influence in Lebanese affairs. Hezbollah’s call for condemnation of Israeli actions further illustrates the volatile political landscape in the region.
Original Source: shafaq.com
