Iran Denies Entry To Its Airspace To Merkel Plane

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in India on a two-day’s visit. However, the German chancellor’s visit was delayed by the denial of overflight by Iran in its airspace, forcing her plane to circle over Turkey for two hours before it was allowed entry.

Reports said there were three planes comprising the delegations, but only her plane was denied permission in Iranian airspace. Before the plane left Berlin on Monday evening, it was reportedly given permission by Iranian authorities, reports said in Germany.

Germany was furious on Tuesday. “Hindering the German chancellor’s passage over Iran is absolutely unacceptable. It shows a lack of respect towards Germany that we will not accept,” Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement.

According to AFP, he summoned the Iranian ambassador in Berlin to “make it very plain that such a breach of international conventions will in no way be tolerated by Germany.”