Syria denied passage through its airspace to the plane carrying Iran’s top security official, forcing the aircraft to take an alternate route to Lebanon, Turkish and Israeli media reported.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was traveling to Beirut when Syrian authorities blocked his flight from entering the country’s airspace.
The plane was forced to reroute through Iraqi and Turkish airspace to reach its destination.
Syria’s interim government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, has banned Iranian aircraft from crossing Syrian airspace since taking power following the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in December last year.
Under Assad, Syria was a key ally and transit route for Iranian weapons shipments to its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hands off Lebanon
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (R) reaffirmed to Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and his accompanying delegation Lebanon’s rejection of any form of foreign interference in its internal affairs
LEBANON’S Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday reaffirmed Lebanon’s rejection of any form of foreign interference in its internal affairs, calling on Iran to commit “clearly and explicitly” to this principle.
Speaking during a meeting in Beirut with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and his accompanying delegation, Salam stressed that decisions made by the Lebanese government “are not to be subject to discussion in any other country,” adding that the seat of decision-making lies with the Council of Ministers and that “Lebanon’s decisions are made solely by the Lebanese people, who do not accept guardianship or dictates from anyone.”
Salam underscored that any relationship with Lebanon must pass exclusively through its constitutional institutions, “not through any political party or parallel channel.”
Iran Wire