FRANKFURT: German airline Lufthansa said on Friday its planes would no longer use Iranian airspace as it extended a suspension on flights to and from Tehran amid soaring Middle East tensions.

“Due to the current situation, Lufthansa is suspending its flights to and from Tehran up to and including Thursday, 18 April,” a company spokesperson said Friday.

“The airline is also no longer using Iranian airspace.” The flights to the Iranian capital have been suspended since April 6. Lufthansa did not outline the immediate reasons for the suspension. But the move comes after Iran blamed arch foe Israel for a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals, and threatened reprisals.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2024