Iran bans flights from India and Pakistan
Tehran,
Apr
24:
Iran's
state-run
IRNA
news
agency
is
reporting
the
country''s
civil
aviation
agency
has
banned
all
flights
to
and
from
India
and
Pakistan
because
of
the
dramatic
surge
in
coronavirus
cases
in
the
two
nations.
IRNA
says
the
decision
was
made
by
Iran''s
Health
Ministry
and
it
takes
effect
Saturday
at
midnight.
Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh, spokesman for Iran''s Civil Aviation Organization noted there are no routine flights between Iran and India and "flights are operated occasionally."
Several other countries in the region, including the sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kuwait, also have banned flights to and from India over the rise in coronavirus cases there.
From UK to UAE, list of countries that have suspended flights from India amid COVID-19 surge
Zibakhsh said flights to and from 41 countries already were prohibited in Iran, while those who want to fly to other countries listed as high risk are required to have a coronavirus test in Iran. Travelers over 8 years old need to submit a negative PCR test within 96 hours of departure and do another test on arrival.
Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said 18,230 new confirmed cases over 24 hours, bringing Iran''s total on Saturday to more than 2,377,000.