Saudi bans Iranian plane from entering airspace

Saudi authorities refused to allow an Iranian plane carrying 260 pilgrims into its airspace because the aircraft did not have a prior permission, a procedure followed in international aviation regulations.

The Saudi Press Agency, SPA, quoted Khaled Al-Khubairi, spokesman of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation as saying that they banned the plane from entering Saudi airspace, "because there is no permission issued by the authority that allows the plane to fly into Saudi Arabia, which is a procedure followed by international regulations."

He added that the airplane should have obtained permission in advance for the sake of the safety of passengers.