Airlines operating from the UAE and Qatar have cancelled a number of flights to Iran, as widespread unrest in the country is set to enter its third week.
Five flights run by Emirates and flydubai to Tehran were suspended on Friday, with the last Emirates flight to the Iranian capital leaving at 12.30pm having been scheduled for 5.45am, data from Dubai Airports shows.
Friday flights to the Iranian cities of Bandar Abbas, Lar, Mashhad and Shiraz have also been cancelled.
On Saturday’s departure schedule, all but two Emirates and flydubai flights are suspended.
Flights operated by Iranian carriers Iran Air, Mahan Air and Qeshm Air continue as normal.
Friday flights from Hamad International Airport, Doha to Iran have also been cancelled, but services are on schedule for Saturday, the airport’s website shows.
“Flydubai flights to Iran on January 9 have been cancelled,” a representative for the airline told The National. “We are in direct contact with passengers whose travel plans have been affected. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and revise our flight schedule accordingly.”
The National has reached out to Emirates airline and Dubai Airports for further comment.
Iranian people are protesting against the country’s dire economic state, underpinned by the plummeting value of the rial and soaring cost of living.
The country is suffering from a “digital blackout”, as the government limits mobile internet access, exacerbating the chaos.
Credits: UAE and Qatar Airlines
