ALBAWABA -- Yemen's internationally recognized government claimed it barred an Iranian passenger plane from landing at Sanaa International Airport on Saturday because the airline had failed to gain the necessary authorisation to enter Yemeni airspace.
The plane, operated by **Mahan Air**, was ordered to turn around and return after authorities found it had not received proper flying approvals or followed the country’s aviation protocols, Transport Minister **Mohsen Al-Amri** said. The plane turned back while it was over Omani airspace, the minister said.
Iranian officials and the Houthi movement, which controls Sanaa and other parts of northern Yemen, did not immediately respond.
The incident follows two previous Mahan Air flights from Tehran to Houthi-controlled territory. One landed in Sanaa earlier this month, while another was diverted to Hodeidah after the runway at Sanaa airport was damaged in military attacks.
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council emphasized that no foreign aircraft will be allowed to enter the country’s airspace or land at any airport without prior consent from the internationally recognized government. A notification was also issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology asking airlines and international organizations to secure flight permits in advance through official government channels.
The aviation conflict comes a day after Jordan announced plans to resume daily flights between Amman and Sanaa for humanitarian reasons. The proposed service, which Royal Jordanian Airlines would run once technical preparations are in place, has been welcomed by Saudi Arabia, the Yemeni government recognized by the international community and the United Nations.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen, **Hans Grundberg**, praised the proposal, saying he hoped the opening of air links may help sustain the relative quiet created by the 2022 truce and spur further political progress.
But the Houthis rejected the Jordanian suggestion, saying humanitarian access should not be limited to one route. The group called for unrestricted foreign flights to and from Sanaa, and said wider humanitarian issues including unpaid public-sector wages also needed to be addressed.
The findings come amid increasing worries of military escalation as UN mediation attempts continue. This week Grundberg travelled from Muscat to Riyadh to meet with Yemeni and regional officials as both the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government exchange warnings of possible renewed conflict.
