Amid Rising Tensions in the Region; Following Austria and Germany; 'Air France' Will Also Not Fly Over Iranian Airspace

Air France announced late Friday that it will not fly over Iranian airspace due to 'critical conditions.' According to the announcement, this decision was made following 'high tensions in the Middle East.' As stated by a spokesperson for the airline, three flights belonging to this airline have changed their routes that were supposed to fly over Iranian airspace and will arrive at their destinations with several hours of delay. Previously, two airlines, Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines, had also announced the suspension and rerouting of their flights to Iran. Austrian Airlines stated on Friday, April 24, to the Persian section of Voice of America that 'due to conditions in the Middle East' and after 'thorough assessments,' it has extended the suspension of its flights from and to Tehran until Friday, April 31. Additionally, this airline mentioned that 'long-haul flights will be rerouted through Iranian airspace.' Austrian Airlines emphasized that the 'main priority' is the safety of its passengers and crew, and that the situation in the Middle East is under continuous assessment, maintaining close contact with relevant authorities. Hours earlier, Lufthansa had also stated in a similar response to the Persian section of Voice of America that after 'thorough assessments,' it has extended the suspension of its flights from and to Tehran until Friday, April 31. In this exclusive written response to Voice of America, Lufthansa stated that during this period, it will not use Iranian airspace. The German flag carrier also mentioned in another part of this correspondence that until Tuesday, April 28, flights from and to Amman, the capital of Jordan, will be conducted during the day, allowing its crew to return directly to Frankfurt without overnight stops. Lufthansa further emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew is its 'main priority,' adding that it does not rely solely on government assessments but also evaluates the current security situation before making decisions. The renewed extension of flight suspensions from and to Iran by Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, and now Air France comes after Lufthansa had stated on Thursday, April 23, to the Persian section of Voice of America that after thorough assessments, it had extended the suspension of its flights from and to Tehran until Sunday, April 26. This is while following the news of Lufthansa's response to Voice of America regarding the complete suspension of all its flights to and from Iran, the company stated in another exclusive email to Voice of America that it would make decisions regarding the continuation of flight suspensions by reviewing conditions on a 'daily' basis. The renewed suspension of Lufthansa flights to and from Iran comes as CBS News reported, citing two U.S. officials, that the Islamic Republic may carry out a large-scale attack against Israel on Friday. Additionally, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing 'sources familiar with Western intelligence assessments,' that Israel is preparing for a 'direct and unprecedented' attack by the Islamic Republic against its state targets. These intelligence sources added that the Islamic Republic may conduct its attacks within the next 48 hours using drones and precision missiles. According to these sources, the United States, while intensifying its diplomatic activities to de-escalate tensions, is also preparing defensively and has moved additional military assets to the region. CNN also reported hours earlier, citing a senior government official and an informed source, that U.S. assessments indicate that Iran's attacks on Israel will be direct and against several targets within Israel. While numerous global news agencies and sources reported on Friday about the imminent attack by the Iranian government on Israeli interests, the President of the United States on Friday, April 24, in response to a question about the timing and location of a possible attack by the Islamic Republic on Israeli interests, said: 'I don't want to disclose classified information, but this attack will happen sooner or later.' Joe Biden also warned Iranian leaders, saying: 'Don't do it, the United States is committed to defending Israel, and you will not succeed.' Following the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force in January 2020, and the retaliatory missile attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on U.S. bases in Iraq, the PS752 flight of Ukraine International Airlines was shot down by IRGC missiles, killing all 176 passengers on board. This tragedy led airlines to adopt special safety and security measures when tensions in the region escalate beyond a certain level.