Sanctioned Iranian Airline Begins Direct Flights to Venezuela

Iran’s Mahan Air has begun direct service to Venezuela, with the first flight leaving Tehran on Monday with a Foreign Ministry delegation, according to the Iranian state news agency IRNA. The Mehr news agency quoted the spokesman of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, Reza Jafarzadeh, as saying that the delegation would discuss regular flights between the two countries. The Islamic Republic has voiced support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro against US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido. The United States imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011, alleging it provided support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). France and Germany banned the airline from their territory earlier this year, accusing it of transporting military equipment and personnel to Middle East war zones.