Germany’s Lufthansa airline has announced the extension of its suspension of flights to Tehran amid rising tensions in the Middle East fuelled by speculation of potential Iranian retaliation against Israel. Russia, too, has advised its citizens against traveling to the region.
The situation escalated after Iran pledged to retaliate for an April 1 airstrike targeting its embassy compound in Damascus, Syria.
The strike resulted in the death of a senior Iranian general and six other military officers. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to punish Israel, although Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Lufthansa stated on Thursday that it had suspended flights to and from Tehran until at least April 13. The decision came after the airline opted not to operate a Frankfurt-to-Tehran flight last weekend to prevent crew members from having to stay overnight in Tehran.
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Russia, echoing similar concerns, advised its citizens to avoid traveling to the Middle East, particularly to Israel, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories. The Kremlin urged regional countries to exercise restraint to prevent further destabilization.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of maintaining restraint to prevent a worsening of the situation in a region already marked by instability and unpredictability.
In response, Israel, currently embroiled in conflict in Gaza, affirmed its readiness for various scenarios. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “We are prepared to address the security needs of the State of Israel, both defensively and offensively.”
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