The United States Transportation Department fined Emirates airline $400,000 for flights through Iranian airspace during a time of heightened political tension between the US and Iran last year.

Emirates fined $400,000 for flying over Iran

<p>President Donald Trump on Thursday confirmed the release from Iranian detention of US Navy veteran Michael White and said he'd be rejoining his family in the United States shortly.</p>

<p>White "is on a Swiss plane that just left Iranian Airspace. We expect him to be home with his family in America very soon," Trump wrote on Twitter.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I am to happy announce that Navy Veteran, Michael White, who has been detained by Iran for 683 days, is on a Swiss plane that just left Iranian Airspace. We expect him to be home with his family in America very soon....</p>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1268564689069527042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>A White House spokesman said Michael White's release may lead to an opening in the otherwise deeply bitter relationship between Iran and the United States.</p>

<p>White had been released from an Iranian prison in mid-March on medical furlough but had been held in Iran under Swiss custody.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-claims-that-he-went-to-bunker-for-inspection-amid-clashes-303369" hreflang="en">Donald Trump claims that he went to bunker for 'inspection' amid clashes</a></strong></p>

<p>Switzerland looks after US&nbsp;interests with Tehran because the United States and Iran lack diplomatic relations.</p>

<p>White's release is a rare bright spot in an otherwise deeply frayed relationship between the United States and Iran, which have grown more hostile toward each other since Trump took office in 2017.</p>

<p>Asked whether White's release could be an opening in terms of US-Iranian relations, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox News Channel, "Hopefully so. The president has built incredible relationships with leaders across this globe."</p>

<p>US-Iranian relations have been bitter since the Islamic Revolution toppled the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979 and ushered in an era of theocratic rule.</p>

<p>Tensions flared after Trump pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed US&nbsp;sanctions that have crippled the country's economy.</p>

<p>Tensions escalated after a January&nbsp;3 US&nbsp;drone strike in Iraq killed Qassem Soleimani, the powerful head of Iran's elite Quds Force.</p>

<p>Both the United States and Iran have called for the release of prisoners due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.</p>

<p>Iran is one of the worst-hit countries in the Middle East, while the United States has reported the highest number of deaths and infections in the world from the virus.</p>

<p>White's release comes two days after the United States deported Sirous Asgari, an Iranian professor imprisoned in the United States despite being acquitted on charges of stealing trade secrets. Iranian media reported his arrival on Wednesday.</p>

<p>Both the U.S. State Department and Iranian officials have repeatedly denied that Asgari was part of a swap with White, or anyone else and said his case was separate.</p>


President Donald Trump on Thursday confirmed the release from Iranian detention of US Navy veteran Michael White and said he'd be rejoining his family in the United States shortly.

President Donald Trump on Thursday confirmed the release from Iranian detention of US Navy veteran Michael White and said he'd be rejoining his family in the United States shortly. White "is on a Swiss plane that just left Iranian Airspace. We expect him to be home with his family in America very soon," Trump wrote on Twitter. I am to happy announce that Navy Veteran, Michael White, who has been detained by Iran for 683 days, is on a Swiss plane that just left Iranian Airspace. We expect him to be home with his family in America very soon.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020 × A White House spokesman said Michael White's release may lead to an opening in the otherwise deeply bitter relationship between Iran and the United States. White had been released from an Iranian prison in mid-March on medical furlough but had been held in Iran under Swiss custody. Also read: Donald Trump claims that he went to bunker for 'inspection' amid clashes Switzerland looks after US interests with Tehran because the United States and Iran lack diplomatic relations. White's release is a rare bright spot in an otherwise deeply frayed relationship between the United States and Iran, which have grown more hostile toward each other since Trump took office in 2017. Asked whether White's release could be an opening in terms of US-Iranian relations, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox News Channel, "Hopefully so. The president has built incredible relationships with leaders across this globe." US-Iranian relations have been bitter since the Islamic Revolution toppled the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979 and ushered in an era of theocratic rule. Tensions flared after Trump pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed US sanctions that have crippled the country's economy. Tensions escalated after a January 3 US drone strike in Iraq killed Qassem Soleimani, the powerful head of Iran's elite Quds Force. Both the United States and Iran have called for the release of prisoners due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Iran is one of the worst-hit countries in the Middle East, while the United States has reported the highest number of deaths and infections in the world from the virus. White's release comes two days after the United States deported Sirous Asgari, an Iranian professor imprisoned in the United States despite being acquitted on charges of stealing trade secrets. Iranian media reported his arrival on Wednesday. Both the U.S. State Department and Iranian officials have repeatedly denied that Asgari was part of a swap with White, or anyone else and said his case was separate.

American detained in Iran since 2018 freed, to rejoin family in US 'very soon': Trump

<p>All Indian operators, in consultation with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Saturday, decided to avoid the affected part of Iranian airspace to ensure safe travel for the passengers, news agency ANI reported. All flights will be re-routed suitably.</p>

<p>Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani said, "No substantial effect on Air India flights. Details being worked out for rerouting incoming flights," ANI reported.</p>

<p>This comes shortly after Etihad Airways announced the suspension of operations through Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, news agency Reuters reported, adding that the airline will use alternative flight paths on a number of routes to and from its home base of Abu Dhabi until further notice.</p>

<p>United States Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued an emergency order prohibiting US operators from flying in an overseas area of Tehran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.</p>

<p>Some other international airlines are taking related precautions too.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All Indian operators in consultation with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have decided to avoid the affected part of Iranian Airspace to ensure safe travel for the passengers. They will re-route flights suitably. <a href="https://t.co/XwxeTRbfgC">pic.twitter.com/XwxeTRbfgC</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1142384667682754560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-airways-qantas-lufthansa-suspend-flights-over-strait-of-hormuz-229327">Some of the world's leading carriers</a> including British Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines on Friday suspended flights over the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran-US tensions flared over the downing of a drone, news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The suspensions affected thousands of passengers and came after the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), "prohibiting US-registered aircraft from operating over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tehran on Saturday said that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-its-airspace-is-fully-safe-and-secure-report-229574">its airspace was safe</a>, state media reported quoting Iran's Civil Aviation Organization.</p>

<p>"Iran-controlled airspace over the Persian Gulf and other flight routes are completely safe," its spokesman, Reza Jafarzadeh, was quoted as saying.</p>

<p>This comes at the time when tensions seem to escalate between Tehran and Washington.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firing-one-bullet-towards-iran-will-set-fire-to-americas-interests-iran-229490">Iran warned of tough retaliation</a> in case United States resorts to any form of aggression against the Islamic republic.</p>

<p>"Firing one bullet towards Iran will set fire to the interests of America and its allies", armed forces general staff spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told the Tasnim news agency.</p>

<p>"Today, the situation in the region is to Iran’s advantage.</p>

<p>President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States was "cocked &amp; loaded" to strike Iran but pulled back at the last minute as it would not have been a "proportionate" response to Tehran's shooting down of an unmanned US drone.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Is a US-Iran conflict imminent?</strong></p>

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<p>The downing of the drone - which Tehran insists violated its airspace, a claim Washington denies - has seen tensions between the two countries spike after a series of attacks on oil tankers the US has blamed on Iran.</p>

<p>Trump later stated that he aborted retaliatory strike to spare Iranian lives.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


All Indian operators, in consultation with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Saturday, decided to avoid the affected part of Iranian airspace to ensure safe travel for the passengers, news agency ANI reported.

All Indian operators, in consultation with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Saturday, decided to avoid the affected part of Iranian airspace to ensure safe travel for the passengers, news agency ANI reported. All flights will be re-routed suitably. Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani said, "No substantial effect on Air India flights. Details being worked out for rerouting incoming flights," ANI reported. This comes shortly after Etihad Airways announced the suspension of operations through Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, news agency Reuters reported, adding that the airline will use alternative flight paths on a number of routes to and from its home base of Abu Dhabi until further notice. United States Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued an emergency order prohibiting US operators from flying in an overseas area of Tehran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. Some other international airlines are taking related precautions too. All Indian operators in consultation with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have decided to avoid the affected part of Iranian Airspace to ensure safe travel for the passengers. They will re-route flights suitably. pic.twitter.com/XwxeTRbfgC — ANI (@ANI) June 22, 2019 × Some of the world's leading carriers including British Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines on Friday suspended flights over the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran-US tensions flared over the downing of a drone, news agency AFP reported. The suspensions affected thousands of passengers and came after the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), "prohibiting US-registered aircraft from operating over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman". Tehran on Saturday said that its airspace was safe, state media reported quoting Iran's Civil Aviation Organization. "Iran-controlled airspace over the Persian Gulf and other flight routes are completely safe," its spokesman, Reza Jafarzadeh, was quoted as saying. This comes at the time when tensions seem to escalate between Tehran and Washington. Earlier in the day, Iran warned of tough retaliation in case United States resorts to any form of aggression against the Islamic republic. "Firing one bullet towards Iran will set fire to the interests of America and its allies", armed forces general staff spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told the Tasnim news agency. "Today, the situation in the region is to Iran’s advantage. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States was "cocked & loaded" to strike Iran but pulled back at the last minute as it would not have been a "proportionate" response to Tehran's shooting down of an unmanned US drone. Watch: Is a US-Iran conflict imminent? × The downing of the drone - which Tehran insists violated its airspace, a claim Washington denies - has seen tensions between the two countries spike after a series of attacks on oil tankers the US has blamed on Iran. Trump later stated that he aborted retaliatory strike to spare Iranian lives. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid US-Tehran tensions, Indian airlines decide to avoid part of Iranian airspace

India's aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday said Indian airlines have decided to avoid parts of Iranian airspace amid rising geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran. Watch this video to know more.

India joins list of nations to avoid Iran airspace

News Alert: India's airlines to avoid Iran airspace