TEHRAN – Iran has announced to ban flights from and to India and Pakistan from Sunday due to due to outbreak of new variant of COVID-19.
Iran’s Civil Aviation authority spokesman Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh announced the decision on Saturday.
“All routine flights between Iran and India or Pakistan have been canceled and a limited number of flights are being done currently but due to the spread of the mutated virus, Iran will ban all and every flight to and from India and Pakistan as of Sunday, April 25,” ISNA news citied Zibakhsh as saying.
“There are now flight restrictions to 41 countries,” he added.
On Thursday, Canada announced suspending all passenger flights from Pakistan and India for one month.
Canadian Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra announced the decision, citing increased Covid-19 cases detected in travellers arriving from above mentioned countries.
“Given the higher number of cases of Covid-19 detected in air passengers arriving in Canada from India and Pakistan… I am suspending all commercial and private passenger flights arriving in Canada from Indian and Pakistan for 30 days,” Alghabra said while addressing a press conference.
“This is a temporary measure, while we assess the evolving situation and determine appropriate measures going forward,” he added. The restriction will go into effect at 11:30 pm Eastern Time Thursday (0330 GMT Friday). It will not apply to cargo flights, Alghabra said, particularly to ensure the continued shipment of vaccines, personal protective equipment and other essential goods.
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