TEHRAN: Iran’s civil aviation agency banned all flights to and from India and Pakistan due the dramatic surge in coronavirus cases in the two nations.
Iran’s state news agency said the decision taken by the health ministry took effect on Saturday at midnight. Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh, spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation noted there were no routine flights between Iran and India and flights were operated occasionally.
Several other countries in the region, including the sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kuwait, also have banned flights to and from India over the rise in coronavirus cases there.
Iran’s Health Ministry spokesperson Sima Sadat Lari said 18,230 new cases were detected over the previous 24 hours, bringing Iran’s total on Saturday to more than 2,377,000.
Beyond the Gulf, Canada also suspended flights from both India and Pakistan for 30 days, while the US State Department urged Americans to avoid travelling to India, even if they were vaccinated.
There are been concern on a new strain of the virus that has spread rapidly in India and has already been detected in Europe.
A day earlier, Kuwait became the latest addition in the list of countries that have banned flights from India due to the exacerbating coronavirus situation.
The statement by Kuwaiti directorate general of civil aviation on Twitter noted that all those arriving from India either directly or via another country will be barred from coming back to Kuwait if they have not spent at least 14 days out of India.
Kuwaiti citizens, their first-degree relatives and their domestic workers will, however, be allowed to enter the country. Freight flights will continue to operate.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also banned all flights except cargo flights from India for 10 days from April 24 citing unprecedented COVID-19 rise in the country.
Those exempted from this ban include UAE citizens, diplomatic missions appointed by the countries, official delegations, those on businessmen-chartered flights and those having the golden residency.
