Lebanon blocks Iranian passenger flight to Beirut, analysts cite Israeli pressure  

Lebanon prevented an Iranian airliner from flying to Beirut Thursday after Israel accused Iran one day earlier to use civilian flights to deliver money to the Lebanese terrorist group in Hezbollah.

The director general of Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, Saeed Chalandri, told the Iranian press agency Mehr that the Air Mahan flight in Beirut had been canceled before takeoff because Lebanon does not had not granted him permission to terror.

In a Video published on X By a journalist based in Iran and judged credible by Voa Persan, the passengers could be seen pending in a designated departure room for religious pilgrims, with a shouting man of frustration to be stuck there.

In a statement Thursday published by the National Press Agency of Lebanon, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Beirut de Beirut said that the government asked certain airlines to “temporarily reprogram” thefts to Lebanon while putting in work “some additional security measures”. The civil aviation office did not immediately respond to a VOA request, sent by email on Friday, to comment on the airlines invited to reprogram and how many flights have been assigned.

The press release indicates that Lebanon also worked with its national carrier, Middle East Airlines, to send an airplane to Tehran to bring the passengers blocked home.

The movements followed a Arab Wednesday Declaration of Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, accusing the body of the Islamic Revolution of Iran forces to exploit civilian flights to Beirut Airport to get money to its main proxy, Hezbollah, without monitoring of the Lebat government .

Iran’s mission in New York did not immediately respond to a request from VOA, sent by email on Thursday, to comment on the Israeli allegation.

Mahan Air is sanctioned by the United States in the context of a long-standing American effort to target entities that finance and wear Hezbollah.

Researcher David Daoud, of the Washington -based democracies foundation, told VOA that he had followed 26 Mahan from Iran’s air flights in Beirut since December 1. He said Thursday’s cancellation was the first time that Lebanon has blocked one of the airline flights since it was to resume its service in Beirut following a cease-fire of 27 November in a one -year conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Hezbollah initiated the conflict with Israel in October 2023 in solidarity with the Palestinian terrorist group of Hamas, before accepting the ceasefire under pressure of an Israeli offensive which had started in September 2024 and killed its main leaders .

Adraee said that Israel had provided information to a group led by the United States on control of the ceasefire to try to prevent Iran from stealing money to Hezbollah, which said , had already received some of the funds. But the Israeli army refused to say if it had contacted the cease-fire surveillance group to urge Lebanon to block the flight on Thursday.

The ceasefire forces the Lebanese government to assert sovereignty above the country and prevent Hezbollah and other armed groups from receiving “weapons and related materials” through border crossings and attack Israel . He does not explicitly mention silver deliveries to Hezbollah. Israel is also forced to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon while Lebanese government forces are deployed in the region.

Adraee said the Israeli army “will not allow [Hezbollah] To develop its strength and use all the means available to enforce the understanding of the ceasefire and ensure the security of [Israel’s] Citizens. “It was the strongest declaration that Israel made on Iranian cash delivery to Hezbollah since the start of the recent conflict.

Daoud said that Adraee’s warning “put the Lebanese to note that the Israelis are watching Beirut airport and know that Hezbollah funds cross these Iranian flights.”

“Suddenly, there are movements at Beirut airport,” he said, in reference to the Lebanese authorities denying landing rights on Air Mahan flight. “This is part of a model in which the Israelis call them, and the Lebanese do something that gives them the impression of acting. But the problem is consistency. “”

Daoud said Lebanon could demonstrate consistency if it prohibits Mahan Air from flying to Beirut. Unless this stage, he said that Lebanon could also submit passengers and cargoes from the airline to a meticulous examination on arrival.

Matthew Levitt, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in an interview with VOA that the cancellation of the Mahan Air flight is “new welcome”.

“This is how the Lebanese government will reaffirm sovereignty over the country, if it continues to move in this direction. And it’s not a guarantee, “he said.

This article was produced in collaboration with the Persian service of VOA.