Exclusive; Danger of 'Crisis Expansion' in the Middle East; Austrian Airlines Extends Suspension of Flights to Iran

As the likelihood of military confrontation between the Islamic Republic and Israel intensifies, Austrian Airlines announced on Friday, April 24, to the Persian section of Voice of America that "due to the 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. In this exclusive correspondence with Voice of America, Austrian Airlines stated: "Accordingly, long-haul flights will reroute through Iranian airspace." The airline emphasized that its "primary priority" is the safety of its passengers and crew, adding that the situation in the Middle East is under continuous evaluation and that the company is in close contact with relevant authorities. Hours earlier, Lufthansa similarly informed the Persian section of Voice of America that after "thorough assessments," it has also extended the suspension of its flights from and to Tehran until Friday, April 31. In this written response to Voice of America, Lufthansa stated that during this period, it will not use Iranian airspace either. The German flag carrier further mentioned that until Tuesday, April 28, flights from and to Amman, the capital of Jordan, will operate during the day, allowing its crew to return directly to Frankfurt without overnight stops. Lufthansa reiterated that the safety of passengers and crew is its "primary priority," adding that it does not solely rely on government assessments but also evaluates the current security situation before making decisions. The renewed extension of flight suspensions by Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa follows a previous announcement by Lufthansa on Thursday, April 23, stating that after thorough assessment, it had extended the suspension of its flights from and to Tehran until Sunday, April 26. This comes as CBS News reported, citing two U.S. officials, that the Islamic Republic may launch a large-scale attack against Israel on Friday. Additionally, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing "informed sources from 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 carry out its attacks using drones and precision missiles within the next 48 hours. According to these sources, the United States, while intensifying its diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, is also preparing defensive measures and moving additional military assets to the region. 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 Ukrainian Airlines was shot down by IRGC missiles, killing all 176 passengers on board. This tragedy prompted airlines to adopt special safety and security measures when tensions in the region escalate. Khamenei fears any domino-like retreat will repeat itself; Damoon Mohammadi's interpretation of his recent positions. Khamenei's explicit retreat; Damoon Golriz's interpretation of the latest position of the Islamic Republic's leader regarding Israel. Khamenei threatened to "punish" Israel; Israel says it will respond powerfully to any attack. Lufthansa to Voice of America: Flights from and to Iran temporarily suspended due to "current regional conditions." The Islamic Republic is at a crossroads of "strategic patience" or "hard revenge"; the commander of the IRGC Navy: We act neither emotionally nor hastily. A senior congressional member noted the threat from the Islamic Republic: Americans remain at risk in the Middle East. Israel says it is prepared for a potential confrontation with the Islamic Republic. The CENTCOM commander is on the verge of a trip to Israel; the potential attack by the Islamic Republic and its proxy groups on Israel is the focus of discussions.