Germany bows to US pressure, bans Iran’s Marhan Air from its airspace

Germany has bowed to US pressure by banning from its airspace an Iranian airline accused of ferrying weapons and advisers to support President Bashar Assad’s forces in Syria’s civil war, Reuters reports. A senior German government source said on Monday that Berlin had revoked the landing rights of Mahan Air due to suspicions that it was being used for military purposes by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and also on safety grounds. The measure did not constitute an imposition of general sanctions against Iran, the source said. The withdrawal of Marhan’s operating license follows a concerted campaign by the US, which first listed the airline as a sanctions target in 2011.