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Russia Today
27-06-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia and Iran resume direct flights
Russia and Iran have resumed direct flights following a temporary flight ban imposed by Moscow due to the conflict between Israel and Iran. Flights have also been resumed between Russia and Iraq and Jordan. Major global carriers, including Lufthansa, Emirates, and Air France-KLM, also rerouted or canceled flights to avoid the airspaces of Israel, Iran, Jordan, and Iraq. Some 650 flights were scrapped during the period of hostilities between Israel and Iran, according to Eurocontrol, a pan-European air traffic organization. In a statement on Friday, Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said it had lifted the ban on flights over Iran, Iraq, and Jordan following a 'continuous analysis' of the risks to civil aviation in the region. 'Rosaviatsia continues to monitor the situation in the Middle East,' the agency said. 'If there are any significant changes, airlines will be promptly informed.' The first post-ban arrival from Iran touched down at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on Friday. The Mahan Air flight had departed from the northeastern city of Mashhad. A return flight left at noon. Russian flagship carrier Aeroflot has also resumed sales of tickets to Tehran. The first flight is scheduled for July 4. The route will operate three times a week. Israel launched a series of airstrikes on June 13 targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as senior commanders and nuclear scientists, in what it described as a mission to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The US later joined Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran, which denies that it is pursuing nuclear weapons, condemned what it called unprovoked attacks and retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones at Israeli cities. A US-brokered ceasefire has since come into effect and has so far held, with both sides claiming victory.
NDTV
27-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Why Iranians Are Standing With Their Regime - Even When They Hate It
Once again, regime change is back on the agenda. What began as a military operation by Israel for the destruction of Iran's nuclear facilities soon morphed into calls for a regime change in the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recorded video messages directly appealing to the people of Iran, assuring them that Israel had nothing against them and that it was their regime that Israel was against. Even the US joined in the chorus with President Donald Trump saying on Truth Social, "It's not politically correct to use the term, "Regime Change," but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!" Meanwhile, missiles and drones flew back and forth between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic till the US intervened. It first bombed the three main nuclear sites, including Fordow, buried under a mountain - the effectiveness of these strikes is still being analysed - and then declared a ceasefire, bringing the 12-day war to an end, at least for now. Who Wants A Regime Change? What did we see after the declaration of the ceasefire? The visuals emerging from Tehran were of jubilation and celebration. If there are those mourning that a regime change had not been effected, we do not see them - at least not inside Iran. Most of those unhappy remain outside of Iran. Amongst these, the most vocal and arguably the best known is Prince Reza Pahlavi II, the descendant of the last Shah of Iran. Here, my Iranian friend X comes to mind. In her sixties, a divorcee, a single mother and with dual Iranian-American citizenship. She hated the regime and is an atheist. I remember the first time I went to pick her up from the airport in Delhi. Mahan Air had arrived from Tehran, and what amazed me most was how the women passengers on the flight took off their hijabs the moment they entered the Delhi airport terminal. My friend did the same. But here's the twist: she blames the West for the theocratic regime and dislikes Israel even more than she dislikes the regime. Why? Not because she is anti-Semitic; she has Jewish friends. But, she says, because of what Israel has done to the Palestinians, and how it keeps provoking countries in the region. Iranians Want Change Why do I bring up this example? Because she represents a large chunk of Iranian opinion. Her son and his friends - a generation younger - are as critical of the regime. They dislike how the regime has frittered away billions by maintaining proxies across the region - traditional ones like Hamas and Hezbollah, more recent ones like the Houthis, and the numerous Shia militias in Iraq that are on Iran's payroll. Of course, they are empathetic towards the Palestinians, and Iran, they think, must do its bit to help them, but not by training and arming Hamas. Instead, they say, the money could have been used to take care of Iranians, reeling from sanctions and unemployment, with many having to seek jobs in countries like the UAE, which, till a few decades ago, were themselves impoverished and far more backwards than Iran. Yet, they are united in their opposition to the return of the Shah's descendant. Why was the Shah deposed in the first place, they ask. That an increasing number of Iranians want change was evident in the presidential elections that took place in Iran last year. The tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi notwithstanding, Iranians going to the polls chose a person who had promised them change and personal liberties: Massoud Pezeshkian. That he was chosen not too long after riots and protests over women's attire and the death of Mahsa Amini testifies to the change that many Iranians longed for. In fact, for many years now, Iranians in cities like Tehran have been engaging in activities like western dancing and yoga - in secrecy. Many have converted to other religions - but have gone overseas to do so. On their return, they once again resume life as Muslims are required to in the Islamic Republic, practising their new faith in secret. West's Misadventures Must Be A Lesson And yet, a forceful, imposed regime change may not be the answer. Over the last two decades, such (mis)adventures in the region have only birthed chaos, violence, and destruction, not only in respective countries but across the region. For 20 years, the US waged a war against the Taliban inside Afghanistan, only to hand back power to them. In the process, however, neighbouring countries felt the heat of radicalism and terrorism. Here, too, plans and talks to bring back the King came to nought. A regime change in Iraq, on the false premise that the country had weapons of mass destruction, sowed tensions and created the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Paradoxically, it also increased Iranian influence in Iraq. Iraq has yet to find stability and security. The most recent regime change, in Syria, has brought a former ISIS member to power. While it is true that few shed tears for the fallen regime of Bashar Al Assad, the six months that the interim government of Ahmed Al Shara has been in charge - with ample support from the Arab world, Turkiye, the EU and the US - the most significant events have been the massacres of Allawite and Christian minority communities in the coastal region, and the recent church bombing by an ISIS suicide bomber that claimed at least 25 lives. Similarly, a regime change in Libya again sowed chaos and emboldened ISIS, paving its way into North Africa, and plunged the country into a civil war that continues to burn. Iran Is Different Iran, on the other hand, has a large territory, a far larger population than all the above, is educated and has a worldview of its own. Moreover, the ruling regime is not a minority one like that of Saddam Hussein or Al-Assad. Neither can the Supreme Leader, whatever his shortcomings may be, be compared with someone like the late Muammar Gaddafi. Any attempts at a regime change engineered by external forces, and Western ones at that, are sure to trigger far more chaos and disruption. Like many Indians, many Iranians distrust the West. That's because in public imagination, they see the West as being guilty of propping up the degenerate regime of the last Shah; engineering the 1953 coup against the democratic government of Mohammed Mossadegh, which in turn paved the way for the Islamic regime of Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini to seize power in Tehran; supporting Saddam Hussein against Iran in the eight-year-long Iran-Iraq war; and now supporting Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands. Neither the military nor the elite guards would give up without a fight, while we are confronted with ghosts such as groups like ISIS, which sprang up from the remains of the Iraqi military. Nation, Not Regime Moreover, while the recent conflict has exposed the frailties of the theocratic regime in Iran, there is no proper alternative inside or outside the country to supplant it. On the other hand, to see the destruction of one's country, to see nuclear scientists being assassinated with impunity or public broadcasts being bombed is to see one's own nation being attacked, not a regime. This usually results in the public closing ranks around its government, no matter how disliked otherwise. There is, thus, all the more reason to believe that Iranians will not take kindly to a West-manoeuvred regime change. Moreover, no proper alternative has been offered by the US. The only alternative so far seems to be the descendant of the last Shah, but most Iranians view him as distant and cut off from the ground realities inside Iran. Remember Tunisia? A regime change also has the potential to widen fault lines and spur minority communities such as the Baloch, the Kurds, and the Azeris to seek greater autonomy, or even secession. This is sure to spill over across the borders of Iran into the territories of neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Turkiye, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Azerbaijan. That's a clear recipe for disaster, to which India will not be immune. Any transformation, therefore, should be effected from inside, from within Iranian society, by Iranians themselves. This is what has made the regime change in Tunisia, for instance, far more effective and stable. Tunisia, where the Arab Spring began, did not wait or depend on external forces to engineer a change. It was implemented by Tunisians themselves. Any Iranian Spring, too, must begin in Iran. (The author is a journalist and political analyst) Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author Share
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Time of India
'I was not sure of getting back home': Kolkata professor airlifted from Iran after 10-day wait; returns with just $20 in pocket
KOLKATA: Falguni Dey, the geography professor from Kolkata who got stranded in war-ravaged Iran, returned to the city on Tuesday morning after a gruelling 10-day wait. Dey, along with other Indian passengers, was evacuated by the Indian embassy on a Mahan Air flight from Mashhad late on Monday night. "Over the past 10 days, I was caught between hope and despair. Even after the flight took off from Mashhad, I was not sure of getting back home. In the past 10 days, my hopes were shattered a number of times. When the flight landed in New Delhi and I came out of the immigration checks, it started to sink in slowly," Dey said. After Israel launched a missile strike on June 14 — a day before his scheduled departure — Dey was on the run to evade the destruction caused by Israeli missiles and drones. With $200 in his pocket, he travelled from the north to the west of Iran. His attempts to cross Iran first through Azerbaijan and then through Armenia were unsuccessful. He reached Mashhad on Sunday and got himself registered with the Indian embassy for evacuation. When he returned home on Tuesday morning, he had $20 left with him. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata On Monday afternoon, Dey received a phone call from the Indian embassy in Tehran. "They asked me to reach Sadr Hotel in Mashhad immediately where the list for the evacuees was being prepared. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Este aire potente no requiere instalación Aire Portátil $59.000 Compra ahora Undo They asked me to pack my bags and be prepared for checkout from the hotel in the evening. Five buses parked outside the hotel took us to the airport in the evening," he recounted. The flight took off from Mashhad at 1:30 am and reached New Delhi around 4 am. Two officials from the Bengal govt were present at the airport. "My flight to Kolkata was scheduled at 5 am and the Bengal govt officials helped to complete the formalities in time," he said. Dey called his wife to inform her about his return after he reached New Delhi. When he reached Kolkata airport, his wife was waiting outside. "My phone rang at 4 am and it was a call from his India number. I could not believe my eyes. He asked me to reach the airport fast," said Kanyakumari Dey, his wife. Since Dey was stuck in Iran, it was a prolonged fight for her, too. From their Jadavpur home, she coordinated with officials at the Tehran office, filed visa applications for him, followed up with the embassy offices, counselled him when he was depressed, and continued to keep the hope in him alive. "I lost hope twice when Azerbaijan and Armenia declined his visa and I felt that we would not be able to bring him back. He was stuck in a situation where everything was at odds. He survived as he has a steely nerve," she said.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Time of India
After 10 days and with $20 in pocket, Kol prof back at Jadavpur home
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: Falguni Dey, the geography professor from Kolkata who got stranded in war-ravaged Iran, returned to the city on Tuesday morning after a gruelling 10-day wait. Dey, along with other Indian passengers, was evacuated by the Indian embassy on a Mahan Air flight from Mashhad late on Monday night. "Over the past 10 days, I was caught between hope and despair. Even after the flight took off from Mashhad, I was not sure of getting back home. In the past 10 days, my hopes were shattered a number of times. When the flight landed in New Delhi and I came out of the immigration checks, it started to sink in slowly," Dey said. After Israel launched a missile strike on June 14 — a day before his scheduled departure — Dey was on the run to evade the destruction caused by Israeli missiles and drones. With $200 in his pocket, he travelled from the north to the west of Iran. His attempts to cross Iran first through Azerbaijan and then through Armenia were unsuccessful. He reached Mashhad on Sunday and got himself registered with the Indian embassy for evacuation. When he returned home on Tuesday morning, he had $20 left with him. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata On Monday afternoon, Dey received a phone call from the Indian embassy in Tehran. "They asked me to reach Sadr Hotel in Mashhad immediately where the list for the evacuees was being prepared. They asked me to pack my bags and be prepared for checkout from the hotel in the evening. Five buses parked outside the hotel took us to the airport in the evening," he recounted. The flight took off from Mashhad at 1:30 am and reached New Delhi around 4 am. Two officials from the Bengal govt were present at the airport. "My flight to Kolkata was scheduled at 5 am and the Bengal govt officials helped to complete the formalities in time," he said. Dey called his wife to inform her about his return after he reached New Delhi. When he reached Kolkata airport, his wife was waiting outside. "My phone rang at 4 am and it was a call from his India number. I could not believe my eyes. He asked me to reach the airport fast," said Kanyakumari Dey, his wife. Since Dey was stuck in Iran, it was a prolonged fight for her, too. From their Jadavpur home, she coordinated with officials at the Tehran office, filed visa applications for him, followed up with the embassy offices, counselled him when he was depressed, and continued to keep the hope in him alive. "I lost hope twice when Azerbaijan and Armenia declined his visa and I felt that we would not be able to bring him back. He was stuck in a situation where everything was at odds. He survived as he has a steely nerve," she said.
Indian Express
23-06-2025
- Indian Express
‘We were scared if we'd see the next morning': Indians returning from Iran recall horror of escalating conflict
It's 10:30 pm on Sunday. At the arrival gate six of Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), families of those who got stranded in Iran, who either went to study or perform ziyarat (pilgrimage), are waiting. Some take support of the railing while others sit on the floor. A woman who does not wish to be named can be seen walking impatiently, tightly holding a plastic bag full of rose petals — her eyes scan the gate. 'She (her daughter) said they have touched down. I don't know why it's taking so long for them to come out,' she tells a family member. Around two hours later, Indians aboard a Mahan Air flight — the second since Iran-Israel war broke out and the first after the United States entered the conflict — start arriving. Tanzeem Fatima (34), who hails from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh and is settled in Dubai, is accompanied by her three friends. 'We all were on the tenth floor of our hotel when we saw missiles in the sky two days back. First, we thought it was a celebration to mark one of the recent festivals, but soon realised it was not,' she recounts. They were scared for their lives, says one of her friends. 'There was chaos all over the place… We ran towards the ground floor of the hotel… scared if we'd be able to see the next morning,' she says. Some of the passengers who had returned after offering ziyarat had their relatives from Lucknow waiting. Muhammad Natif Naqvi (28), who went along with her mother, also recalls his experiences at a hotel in Iran as the conflict escalated. 'They told us not to go near the windows as they can break with the loud noises outside,' he says. 'Bahut khatarnak manzar tha… humare samne missile intercept ho rahi thi (It was a scary sight…. Missiles were being intercepted in front of us),' he recounts as he took stock of his luggage. Of around 230 passengers aboard the plane, 180 were from Jammu and Kashmir — they boarded the buses arranged by the government to return to their homes. 'There are 1,300 students from Kashmir who study in Iran. Of them, 750 have been bought back so far,' says Nasir Khuekami, founder and national convenor of Jammu Kashmir Students Association. 'We have built a student network across not only India but globally as well. The day this incident happened between the countries, we issued a helpline number,' he further explains. According to him, the association wrote letters to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and held talks with the Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and briefed him about the escalation. Both Iran and India have been putting efforts into the safe relocation of the students, he asserts.
