Tehran, Iran – On Wednesday, Iran’s Mehr news agency found itself embroiled in controversy after mistakenly reporting the closure of Tehran’s airspace. The agency swiftly removed the erroneous report from its official channel on X and issued a statement denying any publication of such news.
Initially, the semi-official news outlet cited Iran’s defence minister, who purportedly declared the suspension of all air traffic over Tehran from 8:30 p.m. GMT on Wednesday, attributing it to ongoing military drills.
The confusion sparked concerns internationally, with Germany’s Lufthansa announcing the suspension of its flights to Tehran in response to the situation in the Middle East. Tensions had escalated following a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran’s embassy in Syria, prompting heightened vigilance across the region.
Adding to the tension, an Iranian news agency briefly exacerbated the situation by circulating an Arabic report on a social media platform, alleging the closure of Tehran’s airspace for military exercises. However, the agency promptly retracted the report and clarified that it had not disseminated any such information.
The incident underscores the sensitivity surrounding developments in the Middle East and the potential for misinformation to exacerbate tensions. Authorities are urging caution and vigilance amid the delicate geopolitical climate.
Since April 1, when Israeli warplanes were suspected of bombing the Iranian embassy compound in Syria, countries in the region along with the United States have been on high alert and preparing for potential attacks from Iran.
Lufthansa announced the suspension of flights to and from Tehran from April 6 until likely April 11 due to security concerns arising from the tense situation in the Middle East. A spokesperson for the airline emphasized that they are closely monitoring developments in the region and maintaining constant communication with authorities. The safety of passengers and crew remains the airline’s paramount concern.
