Lufthansa to Voice of America: Flights to Iran Suspended Until Friday, April 31

As the likelihood of military confrontation between the Islamic Republic and Israel intensifies, Lufthansa Airlines announced on Friday, April 24, to the Persian section of Voice of America that it has extended the suspension of its flights to and from Tehran until Friday, April 31, after "thorough assessments." In this exclusive written response to Voice of America, Lufthansa stated that it will not use Iranian airspace during this period. The German flag carrier further mentioned that until Tuesday, April 28, flights to and from Amman, the capital of Jordan, will operate during the day, allowing its crew to return directly to Frankfurt without overnight stops. Lufthansa emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew is its "top priority" and that it does not solely rely on government assessments but also evaluates the current security situation before making decisions. The extension of the flight suspension to and from Iran followed an earlier announcement on Thursday, April 23, when the airline informed Voice of America that it had extended the suspension until Sunday, April 26, after careful evaluation. Following the news of Lufthansa's response to Voice of America regarding the complete suspension of its flights to and from Iran, the airline stated in another exclusive email to the reporter that it would make decisions regarding the continuation of the flight suspension based on daily assessments of the situation. A spokesperson for the airline told Voice of America: "Given the current conditions in the Middle East, Lufthansa has made this decision." They added: "We are continuously monitoring 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 Voice of America has contacted foreign airlines operating in Iran and will inform its audience as soon as responses are received. 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 from the Islamic Republic against its state targets. These intelligence sources added that the Islamic Republic may conduct 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 preparing defensive measures and has moved additional military assets to the region. Following the assassination 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 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. Gita Aryan, a senior reporter for the Persian section of Voice of America, primarily focused on foreign policy news, began her journalism career in 1987 with radio work and joined Voice of America in 2004.