Qatar Airways will add two weekly flights to its existing Doha-Tehran route and add three weekly flights on its Shiraz service in January. It will also launch two weekly flights to Isfahan in February, Reuters reported.
“These latest launches are further evidence of Qatar Airways’ commitment to Iran, as well as the expansion of our network in this thriving market ...,” Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said in a statement.
This is while US President Donald Trump has threatened to bar companies that continue to do business with Iran from the US market. European carriers Air France and British Airways halted flights to Iran this year. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways has also stopped flying to Iran.
Washington announced on Nov. 5 a series of sanctions targeting Iran’s banks, oil and shipping sectors, national airline and 200 individuals after Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.
However, despite the US’ hawkishness, Qatar has forged closer ties with Iran in the past months in a wide gamut of economic fields.
MR/PR