Senior Iranian Official Warns: Denying Tehran Flights Will Ground Regional Air Traffic

A senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a strong warning on Friday, asserting that if Tehran is prevented from operating its flights and accessing airport services, then no other party in the region will be able to do so either. The warning was part of statements made by Mohammad Mokhber, who clarified in a post that "compliance with the United States in implementing hostile policies will remain firmly etched in the memory of the Iranian people." Mokhber added that his country's strategy on this matter is "clear," summarized by the principle: "Either freedom of flight in the region is available to all, or it is available to none." He further stated: "If Iran is deprived of the right to flight and access to airport services, then no other country in the region will enjoy this right." This comes as several countries, including Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, have suspended Iranian flights to and from their territories. Conversely, small Iranian airlines continue to operate international flights, particularly to China, which has resisted succumbing to American pressure, as well as to Armenia.