Iran Calls on Foreign Visitors to Respect Law as Protests Persist

A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran, shows people gathering next to a burning motorcycle in the capital Tehran on October 8, 2022. (AFP)
A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran, shows people gathering next to a burning motorcycle in the capital Tehran on October 8, 2022. (AFP)
TT

Iran Calls on Foreign Visitors to Respect Law as Protests Persist

A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran, shows people gathering next to a burning motorcycle in the capital Tehran on October 8, 2022. (AFP)
A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran, shows people gathering next to a burning motorcycle in the capital Tehran on October 8, 2022. (AFP)

Foreign visitors to Iran should respect the country's laws, its foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, as protests continue over a woman's death in police custody that Tehran has blamed on "foreign enemies".

Last month, Iran said it had arrested nine European nationals for their role in the unrest over Mahsa Amini's death.

"Iran is a safe country... We expect foreigners who visit Iran for tourism and business ... purposes to respect our laws," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kaanani told a televised news conference.

Anti-government demonstrations that erupted on Sept. 17 at Amini's hometown of Saqez, have turned into the biggest challenge to Iran's clerical leaders in years, with many calling for the downfall of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The nationwide protests have received wide international support, prompting Tehran to lash out at its critics by accusing the United States and Israel of exploiting the unrest to try to destabilize the country.



Israel Suspends Commercial Flights to Paphos in Cyprus, Reasons Unspecified

FILE - A view of a Greek Air Force F-16 aircraft after landing at Cyprus' Andreas Papandreou Air Base near the southwestern coastal city of Paphos, Cyprus, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
FILE - A view of a Greek Air Force F-16 aircraft after landing at Cyprus' Andreas Papandreou Air Base near the southwestern coastal city of Paphos, Cyprus, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
TT

Israel Suspends Commercial Flights to Paphos in Cyprus, Reasons Unspecified

FILE - A view of a Greek Air Force F-16 aircraft after landing at Cyprus' Andreas Papandreou Air Base near the southwestern coastal city of Paphos, Cyprus, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
FILE - A view of a Greek Air Force F-16 aircraft after landing at Cyprus' Andreas Papandreou Air Base near the southwestern coastal city of Paphos, Cyprus, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)

Israel has ordered the suspension of Israeli commercial flights to Paphos in Cyprus, Cypriot officials confirmed on Monday, for unspecified security reasons.
Domestic security agency Shin Bet ordered the suspension of flights to the airport, a terminal catering mainly to charter traffic on the western coast of Cyprus, late on Sunday night, reports from Israel said.
"The Republic of Cyprus is aware of the change in scheduling, for security reasons, of Israeli companies from and to Paphos airport. This happened some days ago," a Cypriot official told Reuters.
"Flights (from Israel) are continuing normally to Larnaca," the official added, referring to Cyprus' largest international airport.
Paphos is the smallest of Cyprus' two airports and abuts a military base slated for an upgrade by the US. According to its winter flight schedule available online, there are up to 10 flights a week from Tel Aviv and 7 flights a week from Haifa.