Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) said it blocked an Iranian flight carrying 260 pilgrims from Saudi airspace because because the aircraft lacked appropriate permissions, Saudi's state news agency reported late in Wednesday.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the move in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.
"The operator must file a request with the authority prior to flying, specifying the type of aircraft, registration ... and other documents in order to ensure the safety of passengers and the airspace," said the SPA report.
The pilgrims had hoped to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday afternoon to perform the minor Umrah pilgrimage.
Tensions are high between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian regime as a Saudi-led coalition is carrying out airstrikes in Yemen against forces funded and trained by the Iranian regime have occupied much of the country.
A military spokesman for the Saudi-led “Operation Decisive Storm” said on Tuesday that Iran and Hezbollah have trained Houthi militias to “harm Yemenis,” Al Arabiya reported.
“We have evidence that Iran trained Houthi militias on operating fighter jets,” Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri told reporters.
“We have evidence that Iran trained Houthi militias on operating fighter jets,” Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri told reporters.
Asiri said there was “no way for militias to acquire fighter jets,” referring to Iran’s support for the Houthis rebels.
Mr Asiri’s comments follows Monday’s remarks by Saudi ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir who said Washington and Riyadh are in agreement over the support Iran is providing the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“Iran provides financial support for the Houthis and helps them in building weapon factories and providing them with weapons. In addition that there are Iranians working alongside the Houthis,” al-Jubeir told U.S. and Arab reporters in a gathering in Washington, reported state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
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