Exclusive; Lufthansa to VOA: Suspension of Flights to Iran Extended Until Sunday, April 26

Lufthansa Airlines announced on Thursday, April 23, to the Persian section of VOA that after careful evaluation, it has extended the suspension of its flights to and from Tehran until Sunday, April 26. The German flag carrier stated in a special correspondence with VOA that the priority of passengers and crew is always its main concern. Lufthansa added that it does not solely rely on government assessments but also evaluates the current security situation before making decisions. This comes after the news of Lufthansa's response to VOA regarding the suspension of all flights to and from Iran until Thursday, April 23, where the company indicated in another exclusive email to VOA that it would make decisions about the continuation of flight suspensions based on daily assessments of conditions. On Wednesday, the airline announced that after careful evaluation, it had decided to suspend all flights to and from Iran until Thursday, April 11, due to the current situation in the Middle East. A spokesperson for the company told VOA: 'Given the current conditions in the Middle East, Lufthansa has made this decision,' adding, 'We continuously monitor the situation in the Middle East and are in close contact with authorities; the safety and security of our guests and crew members is a priority for Lufthansa.' The Persian section of VOA has contacted foreign airlines operating in Iran and will inform its audience as soon as responses are received. Following the airstrike on April 13 against the Islamic Republic's consulate building in Damascus, Syria, which resulted in the deaths of at least six IRGC commanders, Tehran has threatened retaliation; a threat that has escalated tensions in the Middle East. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stated on Wednesday that Israel 'must be punished and will be punished' for the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Israel Katz, the Israeli Foreign Minister, also warned in response that if the Islamic Republic attacks Israel from its territory, Israel will respond with an attack on Iranian soil. After the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force in January 2020, and the IRGC's retaliatory missile attack on U.S. bases in Iraq, the PS752 flight of Ukraine International Airlines was shot down by IRGC missiles, killing all on board. This tragedy has led airlines to adopt special safety and security measures when tensions in the region rise above a certain level. Khamenei fears that any domino-like retreat could repeat itself; this is an interpretation of Damoon Mohammadi regarding his recent positions. Khamenei explicitly retreated; this is an interpretation of Damoon Golriz regarding the latest position of the leader of the Islamic Republic on Israel. Khamenei threatened to 'punish' Israel; Israel claims it will respond powerfully to any attack. Lufthansa to VOA: Due to the 'current regional conditions,' the company's flights to and from Iran have been temporarily canceled. The Islamic Republic is at a crossroads of 'strategic patience' or 'hard revenge'; the commander of the IRGC Navy stated: 'We do not act emotionally or hastily.' A senior member of Congress noted regarding the threats from the Islamic Republic: Americans remain at risk in the Middle East. Israel claims it is prepared for a possible confrontation with the Islamic Republic. The CENTCOM commander is on the verge of a trip to Israel; a potential attack by the Islamic Republic and its proxy groups on Israel is the focus of discussions.