EU ends warning advisory for commercial flights over Tehran's airspace: Iran official

The head of the Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) of Iran, Siavosh Amir Mokri announced on Saturday that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has discontinued an advisory notice which was issued against commercial flights flying across Iranian airspace for safety concerns. Iran's official television cited Amir Mokri as claiming that the CAO and Iran Airports Company have participated in discussions with European airlines, regional aviation authorities, and the EU agency, EASA to lift the almost two-year ban. 

The EASA had issued the notice of banning commercial flights over Iranian airspace during the month of January of last year. The ban was implemented in response to regional tensions between Tehran and Washington, as well as Iran's firing of missiles on a US facility in Iraq in the same month, Xinhua reported. 

Iran criticises US restrictions on firms

Furthermore, the Islamic Republic of Iran criticised the new US restrictions against its companies on Friday, calling them “completely contradictory behaviour”. The White House announced additional economic sanctions against various Iranian firms and persons tied to the Islamic Republic's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) industry on Friday, while the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) remains on hold. It is important to note that the US has already placed a slew of economic restrictions on Iranian companies for the country's nuclear program and support for regional terrorist groups. 

US President Joe Biden discusses strategies with E3 leaders on Iran 

Meanwhile, as Iran continues to make alarming progress with its nuclear program, US President Joe Biden and three European allies were strategising on Saturday on how to reach a diplomatic solution. The conference between Biden and the leaders of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom was conducted during a critical juncture when Iran seeks to enrich uranium to weapon system quantities. 

The US President is attempting to resurrect the 2015 nuclear agreement and to get Iran back into accordance with the deal, which would have prevented Iran from developing any nuclear weapons for at least a year.

"We welcome President Biden's clearly demonstrated commitment to return the U.S. to full compliance with the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and to stay in full compliance, so long as Iran does the same," said a statement jointly issued by Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, DT Next reported. 

The four leaders met on the margins of the Group of 20 (G20) conference in Rome. Further, Iran still has to commit to a date for returning to the nuclear talks which were held in Vienna but have indicated that it would do so in the next week, with a targeted deadline of late November. 

(Image: Unsplash/Representative)