The Islamic republic launched 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening, marking its second-ever direct attack on its sworn enemy, following a missile and drone attack in April.Both domestic and international flights were grounded for security reasons until 05:00 am (0130 GMT) on Thursday.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation spokesman, Jafar Yazarloo, confirmed the resumption, citing the lifting of restrictions.”After ensuring favourable and safe flight conditions and ending of the restrictions, airlines are allowed to carry out flight operations,” he said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has advised European airlines to avoid Iranian airspace until October 31, with the situation under ongoing review.

Similar warnings were issued for Israel and Lebanon at the weekend.

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The UAE has been re-elected to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, (IAEA) for the period 2020 to 2022 at this year’s annual General Conference of the agency. The move reflects the confidence of the international community in the constructive role of the UAE in the mission and mandate of the Vienna-based organisation, WAM reported quoting a senior UAE official.

The Board of Governors is one of the main policy-making bodies of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference. The 35-member board examines and makes recommendations to the General Conference on the IAEA’s financial statements, programme and budget. It considers applications for membership, approves safeguards agreements and the publication of the agency’s safety standards.
The board also considers ongoing verification reports such as those of Iran’s and North Korea‘s compliance.

The board generally meets five times a year – once in March, June and November, and twice in September.

The UAE had previously occupied the seat from 2016 to 2018, from 2013 to 2015 and from 2010-2012.

Hamad Al Kaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IAEA, said the UAE’s election to the IAEA’s Board underscores the confidence of the international community in the active role of the UAE in the international nuclear policy-making process. ”The move also underlines the global appreciation for the UAE’s successful efforts and its responsible approach towards the development of a peaceful nuclear energy programme,” he added.

The UAE recently started its first nuclear power reactor, thus developing its peaceful nuclear energy programme in a responsible manner. Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant achieved 50 per cent of its electricity production capacity last week. Throughout the development of its nuclear power programme, the UAE ensured it fully complied and adhered to the highest standards of safety, security and non-proliferation. The UAE is the first Arab country to develop and operate a nuclear power plant.

The UAE is a party to all relevant conventions and agreements in the area of nuclear safety, nuclear security, and safeguards. The country has been an active member of the IAEA since 1976 with a long standing policy in support of the Agency’s role in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and facilitating access of peaceful nuclear technology to member states.

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The Iranian plane, belonging to Mahan Air, was heading from Tehran to Beirut when the pilot staged a safety manoeuvre, in an incident that Iran’s Foreign Ministry said would be investigated.

Tensions have spiked between Tehran and Washington since 2018, when US President Donald Trump exited Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six powers and re-imposed sanctions that have battered Iran’s economy.

Iran’s official IRIB news agency quoted a passenger describing how his head had hit the roof of the plane during the change in altitude, and video showed an elderly passenger sprawled on the floor.

All the passengers left the plane, some with minor injuries. The plane arrived back in Tehran in the early hours of Friday.
The US military’s Central Command, which oversees American troops in the region, said the F-15 aircraft was conducting a visual inspection of the Iranian aircraft when it passed near the Tanf garrison in Syria where US forces are present.

Captain Bill Urban, the senior Central Command spokesman, said the F-15 “conducted a standard visual inspection of a Mahan Air passenger airliner at a safe distance of about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) from the airliner this evening.”

“The visual inspection occurred to ensure the safety of coalition personnel at Tanf garrison,” Urban said. “Once the F-15 pilot identified the aircraft as a Mahan Air passenger plane, the F-15 safely opened distance from the aircraft.”

He added the intercept was carried out in accordance with international standards.
The pilot of the passenger plane contacted the jet pilots to warn them to keep a safe distance and they identified themselves as American, IRIB reported.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the necessary legal and political actions would be taken, according to the ministry’s website.

Israel and the United States have long accused Mahan Air of ferrying weapons for Iranian-linked guerrillas in Syria and elsewhere.

The United States imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011, saying it provided financial and other support to Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards.

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Iran has issued an arrest warrant and asked Interpol for help in detaining President Donald Trump and dozens of others it believes, carried out the drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad, a local prosecutor reportedly said on June 29.

While Trump faces no danger of arrest, the charges highlight the heightened tensions between Iran and the United States since Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

Tehran prosecutor Ali Alqasimehr said Trump and more than 30 others,  whom Iran accuses of involvement in the January 3 strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad face “murder and terrorism charges”.

Alqasimehr did not identify anyone else other than Trump, but stressed that Iran would continue to pursue his prosecution even after his presidency ends.

Interpol, based in Lyon, France, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Alqasimehr also was quoted as saying that Iran requested a “red notice” be put out for Trump and the others, which represents the highest level arrest request issued by Interpol. Local authorities end up making the arrests on behalf of the country that requests it. The notices cannot force countries to arrest or extradite suspects, but can put government leaders on the spot and limit suspects’ travel.

After receiving a request, Interpol discusses whether or not to share the information with its member states. Interpol has no requirement for making any of the notices public, though some do get published on its website.

It is unlikely Interpol would grant Iran’s request as its guideline for notices forbids it from “undertaking any intervention or activities of a political nature.

The U.S. killed Soleimani, who oversaw the Revolutionary Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force, and others in the January strike near Baghdad International Airport. It came after months of incidents raising tensions between the two countries and ultimately saw Iran retaliate with a ballistic missile strike targeting American troops in Iraq.

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