British Airways has resumed flights to Iran after a nine-year pause. Service restarted last month and now operates daily except on Sundays, linking London Heathrow with Tehran.
The decision to restore the route follows last year’s nuclear agreement between Iran and the United Kingdom, the United States, and four other countries. As a result of the deal, the UK eased several sanctions on Iran, making renewed air links possible.
“Iran is a fascinating country, full of amazing and surprising places for tourists to visit and discover its sophisticated and ancient culture,” said Sean Doyle, head of network and fleet at British Airways, in a Travel Weekly article.
Doyle added that the lifting of some sanctions has helped Iran reopen for business and allowed commercial ties to be rebuilt. He noted that Iran is an influential economy in the Middle East and North Africa with a wide range of businesses and industries.
British Airways last flew to Iran in 2007. Another UK carrier, British Midland International, stopped its Iran services in 2012 when it merged into British Airways.