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Tel Aviv Accuses Tehran of 'Smuggling' Weapons, Experts to Proxies Using Civilian Airline

An Airbus A310 of Iranian private airline Mahan Air taxis at Sanaa International airport following its first flight to Yemen from Iran, in Sanaa March 1, 2015. File/REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi
An Airbus A310 of Iranian private airline Mahan Air taxis at Sanaa International airport following its first flight to Yemen from Iran, in Sanaa March 1, 2015. File/REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi
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Tel Aviv Accuses Tehran of 'Smuggling' Weapons, Experts to Proxies Using Civilian Airline

An Airbus A310 of Iranian private airline Mahan Air taxis at Sanaa International airport following its first flight to Yemen from Iran, in Sanaa March 1, 2015. File/REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi
An Airbus A310 of Iranian private airline Mahan Air taxis at Sanaa International airport following its first flight to Yemen from Iran, in Sanaa March 1, 2015. File/REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

An Israeli report published Thursday claimed that it uncovered a new means used by Iran to smuggle weapons into Syria and Lebanon, through the private airline Mahan Air.

The report said that this discovery came within the framework of Israel’s campaign to thwart the new Iranian smuggling route through Beirut, and its threats to bomb the airport.

The report, key parts of which were published by Haaretz, focuses on a study conducted by the Alma Center, which specializes in security research on the northern front in Israel and is headed by Sarit Zehavi, a retired Israeli military intelligence officer.

It claimed that it “monitored the activity” of the private Iranian airline, Mahan Air, which operates flights from Iran to several destinations, including Syria, Lebanon, Türkiye, Eastern European countries and others, and that it transported weapons and sensitive equipment to Hezbollah.

According to the report, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) was purchasing airline tickets from Mahan Air for civilian passengers and cargo, which included weapons and equipment for building weapons and missiles.

It added that the Alma Center was able to monitor the names of 63 pilots in Mahan Air, who could be involved in efforts to smuggle weapons to Syria and Lebanon last year.

“The company serves the IRGC as a civilian platform for smuggling weapons via their Special Unit 190. This unit is in charge of transferring Iranian weapons throughout the Middle East,” the report claimed.

The Alma center published details about people “involved” in this operation, and pointed to the Mahan Air general manager, who was a former officer in the IRGC and a close friend of IRGC Commander Qassem Soleimani, before his assassination.

The report also mentioned the name of Reda Hashem Safieddine, the son of a cleric and head of the Executive Council of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the nephew of Abdullah Safieddine, the representative of Hezbollah in Iran.

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Araghchi Puts Conditions on Renewing Iran’s Ties with EU

Abbas Araghchi outlines his program to the Iranian parliament before confidence vote (Tasnim)
Abbas Araghchi outlines his program to the Iranian parliament before confidence vote (Tasnim)
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Araghchi Puts Conditions on Renewing Iran’s Ties with EU

Abbas Araghchi outlines his program to the Iranian parliament before confidence vote (Tasnim)
Abbas Araghchi outlines his program to the Iranian parliament before confidence vote (Tasnim)

A day after Iran's parliament approved President Masoud Pezeshkian's 19 minister-cabinet, the country’s new foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, put conditions on the renewal of ties with European Union countries.

In an interview with Japan's Kyodo News, Araghchi said the new government has designated encouraging relations with East Asia a pivotal objective, and emphasized “Japan's prominent position” in this context.

The minister explained that due to hundreds of unilateral sanctions on Iran's economy, including banking and trade, imposed by the US government in the past decade to curb Iran's nuclear activities, Japan had to abandon the Iranian market.

Araghchi said he believes Iran and Japan, with their distinct yet complementary capabilities, hold immense potential for forging a mutually beneficial and stabilizing partnership across Asia.

Lifting Sanctions

The foreign minister explained that as a crucial step toward lifting the sanctions on Iran's economy and returning it to normal trade relations in the international community, the Foreign Ministry will seek to manage tensions with Washington and rebuild ties with European countries.

But he said that this will only happen if these countries abandon their “hostile approach” while aiming to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and lift sanctions.

“In my foreign policy address to the Islamic Consultative Assembly, I highlighted the crucial objective of lifting sanctions, particularly unilateral ones, through earnest, focused, and time-bound negotiations while upholding the nation's fundamental principles,” Araghchi said.

Iran struck a landmark nuclear pact in 2015 with six major powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

However, Trump criticized the deal as flawed and pulled the United States out of it in May 2018. Iran countered the US move by increasing its nuclear activities beyond the limits set in the deal.

Araghchi, a veteran diplomat who has also served as ambassador to Finland and Estonia, played a vital role in finalizing the 2015 nuclear deal as Iran's deputy foreign minister and senior negotiator.

Araghchi’s Promises

In his pitch to become the country’s top diplomat, Araghchi promised a “comprehensive and effective” foreign policy to tackle regional and global challenges, insisting on an approach free from political biases.
He outlined three key goals: protecting national interests, strengthening security, and upholding the country’s dignity.

Araghchi outlined his top foreign policy priorities, placing China, Russia, and emerging powers in Africa, Latin America, and East Asia at the forefront.
“These nations supported us during sanctions, and they will be central to our foreign policy,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of “good neighborliness,” vowing to strengthen ties with neighboring countries to capitalize on political and economic opportunities.

Iranian lawmakers supportive of Araghchi said they were pleased with his commitment to the parliamentary law on the nuclear program, as well as the regional activities of the Revolutionary Guards, and non-negotiation on the missile program.