Lebanon has made a commitment to refrain from supplying Iranian and Syrian airlines with fuel at Beirut airport, in line with US sanctions. These companies are on a long list of sanctions received by the country.
Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport responded to the decision of international sanctions on a number of airlines, including Iranian airlines. The airport refrained from supplying the aircraft of those companies with fuel. The list includes more than 20 airlines from 15 countries around the world.
Senior Lebanese sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the list included Iranian airlines, such as Iran Air, Mahan Air and others, Syrian airlines such as Cham Wings and Syrian Arab Airlines, in addition to a Belarusian airline, Belavia. The list also includes other airlines that do not land in Beirut, the sources said.
“The decision is international and cannot be disregarded by Lebanon,” Lebanese political sources said. “Lebanon will not violate international resolutions, but will abide by them.”
They said that government instructions received at the airport ordered full commitment to the list.
Several international companies supply Beirut airport with jet fuel, some of which are linked to the parent companies British Petroleum (BP) or Total, which have taken the decision to abide by the sanctions.
The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The decision is effective and is being applied at the airport since the US sanctions against Iran came into force.”
In recent statements, Secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines Maqsoud Asadi Samani confirmed the halting of supply of fuel to Iranian aircraft at the airport in Beirut, saying: “Unfortunately, in recent days, there were talks about this issue, and we have now reached the stage of implementation. Iranian airlines cannot currently refuel at the Lebanese airports.”
