In light of Iranian threats against Israel, more and more airlines are avoiding Iranian airspace. In addition, the relatives of those sent to the German embassy in Tehran are leaving the country.
On Saturday, the Dutch airline KLM and the Australian airline Qantas announced that they would adjust flight routes. Qantas’ Perth-London route, which is effectively flown without a stop, will stop in Singapore for refueling until further notice.
This makes it possible to avoid flying through dangerous airspace, news agency AAP quotes the airline. The return flight remains unchanged thanks to the prevailing wind. The non-stop Perth-London flight normally takes about 17.5 hours and can only be done with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with a route via Iran, the Guardian reports.
KLM no longer flies over Iran and most of Israel. The airline said this was ‘out of precaution’, Dutch news agency ANP reported. However, KLM continues to fly to the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean coast. Lufthansa, among others, had previously suspended its flights to Tehran until further notice due to safety reasons.
In early 2020, amid military tensions with the US, Iran accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane shortly after takeoff from Tehran. All 176 passengers died in the disaster.
Relatives of German embassy employees leave Iran
Due to the great danger, the relatives of those sent to the German embassy in Tehran are now leaving the country. In addition, further security measures have been taken, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin announced on Saturday at the request of the German news agency. However, when asked by the APA, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said that “no measures are planned in this regard.”
The German spokesperson explained that a meeting of the crisis team was planned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the afternoon. “Bild am Sonntag” had reported earlier. It was also reported that a low three-digit number of Germans were on the “Elefand” crisis preparedness lists. The Foreign Ministry said it was believed there would be a larger number of German-Iranian dual nationals in Iran. However, no confirmed figures are available because there is no reporting obligation abroad.
On Friday, the Foreign Ministry asked all German nationals in Iran to leave the country. At the same time, it warned against travel to Iran. The security situation could deteriorate quickly and without warning. Austrians were also asked to leave Iran.
Attack on the grounds of the Iranian embassy
In early April, two brigade generals and five other members of the powerful Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in the Syrian capital Damascus. Since then, Iran’s leadership has repeatedly threatened retaliation.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
