London, May 31: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s flight to India was delayed Tuesday as Iran’s government allegedly refused it permission to fly over the country.
Merkel’s plane was forced to circle over Turkey for about two hours as a result, BBC quoted the German government stating in a report.
“We have never experienced anything like this before,” Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said. He said the incident was “unusual to say the least”.
“Strange start to Indian trip – Iran temporarily denies overflight to chancellor’s plane. Delayed landing in Delhi,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Germany has summoned the Iranian ambassador to explain the incident.
Last week saw the European Union (EU) extending sanctions against Tehran over the lack of progress in talks about its nuclear programme.
Reacting on the decision to summon the Iranian ambassador, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwellesaid: “Hindering the German chancellor’s passage over Iran is absolutely unacceptable. It shows a lack of respect towards Germany that we will not accept.
“That is why I have summoned the Iranian ambassador. We shall make it very plain that such a breach of international conventions will in no way be tolerated by Germany.”
It was not immediately clear why the plane was refused clearance to fly over Iran.
A second plane with four German ministers on board, however, was not delayed.
Officials in the German delegation travelling with Merkel to India maintained that the incident may have occurred due to “co-ordination problems”.
–Agencies