Iran’s first planned flight to Europe after several months of suspension, scheduled to depart from Tehran to Paris on January 31, has been cancelled by France, ISNA reported.

The European Union, along with the UK, imposed sanctions on three major Iranian airlines, namely IranAir, Mahan Air, and Saha Airlines, on October 14 over their alleged transfer of ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine. The sanctions resulted in suspending all available flights to Europe, with Europe stating safety issues as a reason for the stoppage.

Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation (CAO) stated it has immediately initiated diplomatic channels through Iran's Foreign Ministry and direct communication with French aviation authorities to resolve the issue.

The organisation highlighted that France's initial permit issuance on December 17 had indicated the airline met all relevant safety and security requirements under international aviation protocols.

 “Yesterday, in an unexpected move, the French Civil Aviation Organisation revoked the license dated December 17, 2024, related to Iran Airtour Flight No. 9770 on the Tehran-Paris route, which was scheduled to take off on February 1, 2024.”

"The necessary follow-ups to resolve this issue continue through various official channels," the CAO said, noting that the original flight permit approval implied Iran Airtour's compliance with all applicable regulations.

The Association of Iranian Airlines announced earlier this month that two airlines have obtained licences to operate flights to Europe, including Iran Airtour, which planned its first flight to Paris on January 31.

Secretary of the Association, Maqsoud As’adi Samani, said plans were underway to launch flights to additional European destinations, including Spain, Germany, and Austria.

Mehdi Hamidanpour, the CEO of Iran Airtour, announced on January 30 that France had cancelled the flight to Paris without giving a reason.

He confirmed that the matter is under review and apologised to the passengers affected by the cancellation of the Paris flight.

He stressed that the company was not responsible for the cancellation and assured passengers that refunds for their tickets would be processed expeditiously.

Along with the airlines, the European Union also agreed to impose sanctions on seven individuals and seven organisations, including Iran Air, due to their involvement in transferring ballistic missiles to Russia. 

The EU had previously sanctioned Iran for supplying drones to Russia in October 2022. The restrictions were imposed on three individuals and one entity.

Iran denies supplying arms to Russia for use in the Ukraine war. It has, however, signed a 20-year strategic partnership agreement with Moscow that includes military cooperation as well.