Ghasemi: The Cancellation of Mahan Airlines' Flight Permit to Germany Was Hasty

Bahram Ghasemi, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, criticized the German government's decision to revoke Mahan Airlines' flight permit to Germany on Tuesday, February 21, describing the action as hasty. Germany revoked the permit for Mahan Airlines on February 1, citing 'security issues' and 'doubts regarding the use of this Iranian airline for military purposes.' Ghasemi stated, 'The cancellation of Mahan Air's flight permit to Germany is an unjustifiable and hasty action that contradicts the spirit of the long-standing relations between the two countries.' He added that this behavior is likely a result of misinformation propagated by those dissatisfied with the relationship between the two countries. Ghasemi expressed hope that the German government would reconsider its decision based on factual information. Meanwhile, the German Foreign Minister stated the cancellation was 'necessary for security reasons.' The decision by Berlin has been welcomed by U.S. officials, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging U.S. allies to follow Germany's lead. Mahan Airlines, established in 1992 in Kerman, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2011 for providing services to the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The U.S. Treasury had stated that Mahan Air's close cooperation with the Quds Force for transferring weapons, personnel, and financial assistance through its flights reflects a broader effort by the IRGC to influence Iran's commercial sector to facilitate its support for terrorism. The U.S. sanctions against Mahan Airlines and its affiliates have continued since the initial sanctions. The Islamic Republic has denied allegations against Mahan Air regarding the transfer of weapons and personnel, with Iran's UN mission describing accusations of using the airline to send weapons to countries like Lebanon as 'baseless and entirely false.'