Germany Bows To U.S. Pressure, Bans Iran Airline

Related stories

Tinubu Mourns, Pays Tribute to Legendary Super Eagles Goalkeeper Peter Rufai

By Abiola Olawale President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed profound...

Natasha vs Akpabio: Court Orders Senate President To Recall Senator Natasha

Warns Natasha Against inappropriate Conduct By Abiola Olawale The Federal...

Hadi Sirika Denies Defection to ADC Coalition Rumors, Reaffirms Loyalty to Buhari, APC

By Abiola Olawale Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has...

China Snubs U.S. Crude for Third Month, Even as Ethane Trade Restarts

China has avoided buying U.S. crude oil for three...

Super Eagles Icon Peter Rufai Passes Away at 61

By Abiola Olawale The Nigerian football community has been thrown...

Germany has bowed to U.S. pressure to ban from its airspace an Iranian airline accused of ferrying weapons and advisers to help support President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces in Syria’s civil war.

A senior German government source told Reuters on Monday that Berlin had revoked the landing rights of Mahan Air due to suspicions that it was being used for military purposes by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and also on safety grounds.

The measure did not constitute the imposition of general sanctions against Iran, the source said.

The withdrawal of Mahan’s operating license, first reported by Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and public broadcastsers NDR and WDR, follows a concerted campaign by the United States, which first listed the airline as a sanctions target in 2011.

In September, Richard Grenell, the outspoken U.S. ambassador to Berlin, tweeted his objections to the airline continuing to operate in Germany. “Mahan Air has routinely flown fighters and materiel to Syria to prop up the Assad regime,” a linked embassy press release stated.

“Why is Mahan Air allowed to fly into Munich and Duesseldorf,” he asked on Twitter. “I’m going to keep asking everyday [sic].” The statement also threatened companies that dealt with Mahan with U.S. sanctions.

'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide's journalism works intersect business, environment, politics and developmental issues. Among a number of local and international publications, his work has appeared in the New York Times. He's a winner of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award. Currently, the Online Editor at The New Diplomat, Akintomide has produced reports that uniquely spoke to Nigeria's experience on Climate Change issues. When Akintomide is not writing, volunteering or working on a media project, you can find him seeing beautiful sites like the sandy beaches that bedecked the Lagos coastline.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Tinubu Mourns, Pays Tribute to Legendary Super Eagles Goalkeeper Peter RufaiNatasha vs Akpabio: Court Orders Senate President To Recall Senator NatashaHadi Sirika Denies Defection to ADC Coalition Rumors, Reaffirms Loyalty to Buhari, APCChina Snubs U.S. Crude for Third Month, Even as Ethane Trade RestartsSuper Eagles Icon Peter Rufai Passes Away at 61Dakuku Peterside’s Beneath the Surface Book Out in OctoberOil Prices Dip on Confirmation of Inventory BuildBuhari In Stable Condition - Ex-Aide ConfirmsBREAKING: Ex-President Buhari sick, hospitalised abroad2027: Abure, Usman Clash Over Peter Obi’s Rising Profile in ADC CoalitionMTN’s Dabengwa Tier III Cloud Data Centre: A New Era for West African Tech and AIGanduje: Why are they resigning?OPEC Reports a Global Oil Production Decline in 2024IMF Warns FG to Overhaul 2025 Budget to Prevent Economic Meltdown2027: Peter Obi Vows, Says ADC Coalition 'll prioritize Nigerians’ Welfare
X whatsapp