Manama: An Iranian plane carrying 260 passengers flying to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage has been barred from entering Saudi airspace, the Saudi Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) has said.
PACA said the plane arriving on Wednesday afternoon did not have the required permission to fly into the kingdom, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
“The Authority applies the international rules that require a prior permission, and any violation be it by the Iranian airlines or any other airline, cannot be tolerated and the plane is barred from entering Saudi airspace,” Khalid Al Khaibari, the spokesperson for PACA, said.
The permission includes the type of the plane as well as other documents to help ensure the safety of the passengers, he added.
“Any airline that plans to fly a plane to another country must submit a request that is in line with international systems and standards,” he said, quoted by SPA.
The move follows heightened tension between the two countries as Saudi Arabia continues air strikes against the Iran-allied Al Houthis in Yemen. Iran’s president called on Thursday for a halt to the military campaign.
Iran, which denies arming Al Houthis, has condemned the Saudi-led offensive. Tehran sent two warships to the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, saying they would protect Iranian shipping.
— with inputs from Reuters
