TEHRAN – Iran’s Ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, has asked the Lebanese government to help mollify the Lebanese people's anger through dialogue and communication after the Arab country canceled a Thursday flight that was supposed to carry Lebanese pilgrims from Tehran to Beirut, in a move seemingly influenced by Israel and Washington. 

Lebanese authorities have said Tehran-Beirut flights will remain suspended until Monday. 

Thousands of Lebanese citizens protested the suspensions Thursday night by blocking roads leading to the Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport and chanting "Iran, Iran." The army attempted to disperse the crowd by firing rubber bullets and tear gas at the protesters, who expressed disbelief that the government had decided to “abide by Israeli’s order”. Demonstrators remained on the streets for several hours despite the heavy-handed police response. 

The decision has been met with outrage, particularly as Israel has killed thousands of Lebanese citizens since October 2023, decimated a significant part of southern Lebanon, and continues to bombard and occupy parts of the country, despite a ceasefire that came into effect last year.

Addressing the situation on Friday, Amani highlighted the consequences of the flight cancellation, which left many Lebanese passengers stranded at Tehran airport, as they were part of pilgrimage caravans traveling to Iran. “Lebanese individuals who were scheduled to travel to Iran for pilgrimage are now facing significant delays due to this decision,” he noted. 

The ambassador pointed out that the timing of the flight suspension coincided with misleading claims from an Israeli military spokesperson, who alleged that the Iranian airplane was suspected of carrying illegal goods. “Many in Lebanon view these developments as an attempt to obstruct Iranian participation in the funeral of Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,” Amani stated.

Hezbollah’s late secretary-general, who was assassinated by Israel in the southern suburbs of Beirut in September, is set to be laid to rest on February 23. Millions of people are expected to attend the funeral of the popular Resistance leader, including travelers from Iran, Iraq, and Yemen.     

Amani also said in remarks to Iranian media that Beirut has requested a replacement aircraft for the canceled Iranian flight, a move he supports as long as it does not impose restrictions on Iranian flights in return. "We are committed to resolving this issue positively and fostering mutual flights between Iranian and Lebanese airlines," Amani affirmed.  “God willing, this issue will be resolved through the wise actions of the Lebanese government.”

Other Iranian officials were more forceful in addressing the situation. In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that the Israeli regime had threatened the passenger plane that was unable to complete its flight on Thursday. He called it a blatant violation of international law principles and Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Esmail Baghaei also called for serious measures by relevant international bodies, particularly the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to “stop dangerous Israeli actions against the safety and security of the country’s aviation.”