Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Tehran on Tuesday for the inauguration of Iranian President-elect Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian. This visit underlines the commitment of both countries to strengthen their leadership ties and improve bilateral relations.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has officially confirmed Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran's ninth president. Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian will be sworn in before the Iranian parliament on Tuesday.
The inauguration comes at a tense time as the conflict between Lebanon and Israel intensifies. International media are reporting major disruptions to flight operations, with Middle East Airlines (MEA) citing insurance issues due to rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Many flights were canceled or delayed.
On Monday, Lufthansa announced that it had suspended five routes connecting Beirut with its partner airlines - Swiss International Air Lines, Eurowings, and Lufthansa itself - until July 30 for safety reasons. Turkish Airlines also canceled two flights on Sunday, and other airlines including SunExpress, AJet, Aegean Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and MEA reported cancellations.
Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, Lebanon's only airport, has previously faced challenges due to civil wars and previous fighting with Israel, including the 2006 war with Hezbollah.
The recent rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which killed 12 children and teenagers, has raised fears of a wider conflict between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. In response to the attack, Israel's security cabinet approved measures. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the attack, the deadliest incident in the region since the conflict began in Gaza on October 7.
This ongoing situation has led to increasing tensions and disruption across the region.
