TEHRAN (FNA)- Khartoum summoned Saudi charge d'affaires to the foreign ministry after the Saudi Kingdom prevented a Tehran-bound liner carrying Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir from flying over the country.


The monarchy has refused to allow the plane with the Sudanese president on board enter the Saudi airspace to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani.

Riyadh said that the plane lacked authority but Khartoum ruled out Saudi official�s claims.

Sudan Civil Aviation authorities reiterated that Saudi officials were informed about president�s plan to fly over the country, al-Alam reported.

The plane was forced to return to Khartoum and the president failed to attend the ceremony.

�President al-Bashir was not flying on his private plane and was heading to Tehran by an airplane leased from Saudi Arabia,� Sudan�s Presidential Press Secretary Emad Sayed Ahmed said in a statement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Araqchi expressed deep regret over the prevention of President al-Bashir's plane from flying to Iran.

�We were informed by the Sudanese Embassy in Tehran that one of the countries on the flight route of President al-Bashir�s plane did not give permission for his plane to fly over its airspace,� Araqchi said last Sunday.

The Iranian diplomat went on to say, �If it is true that this country has committed such an act, it is deeply regrettable.�

Saudi�s move has disappointed the Iranian officials as the newly elected president vowed to engage with all countries worldwide, including the Muslim states in the region.

By Fars New Agency

 

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