🔻Fars News Agency reported that the Esteghlal football team, for its trip to Doha, used an RJ aircraft belonging to the government’s protocol (ceremonial) department; according to this news agency, the airline is exempt from flight restrictions.

🔹Based on this report, it appears that the Esteghlal club, by using its managerial ties with the Presidency, was able to obtain one of the aircraft of the Presidential protocol fleet, and by using it, circumvented the restrictions arising from sanctions on Iranian airlines and reduced the travel time to Qatar.

🔹In its report, Fars described this action as a way for Esteghlal to travel to Qatar under conditions of limited flight availability.

🔹Following the recent U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic’s aviation industry, most international flights of both Iranian and foreign airlines have been suspended from and to airports in Iran.

🔹These restrictions are being applied while actions by the Islamic Republic—including attacks on commercial ships and threats to regional countries by various officials such as Mohsen Rezayi, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council—have contributed to the government’s further isolation, increased tensions, and raised the risk for aviation in the region.