Iran Sends Shipments of Food to Qatar by Air
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran has sent five planes of vegetables to Qatar, Iran's flag carrier said Sunday, days after a number of Persian Gulf countries cut off air and other transport links to the emirate.
"So far five planes carrying... vegetables have been sent to Qatar, each carrying around 90 tons of cargo, while another plane will be sent today," AFP quoted Iran Air spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi as saying.
"We will continue deliveries as long as there is demand" from Qatar, Noushabadi added, without mentioning if these deliveries were exports or aid.
Iran voiced readiness to provide Qatar with whatever food products the Arab country needs immediately after Saudi Arabia and a number of others broke off relations with Qatar, which relies heavily on importing food.
On June 6, Reza Nourani, head of the National Union of Iran’s Agricultural Products, said arrangements have been made with local freight companies for exporting food shipments to Qatar, adding that three southern ports of Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Bandar Lengeh are geared up to ship out food.
According to the official, Iran’s food shipments can reach Qatar by sea freight within only 8 hours from the port city of Bushehr.
Following last week’s decision by Saudi Arabia and a number of its cohorts to sever ties with the Doha government and suspend air, sea and land transport with Qatar, Iran called for a "clear and explicit dialogue" among the feuding nations, saying rising tensions among its Persian Gulf neighbors threaten the interests of everyone in the region.
On June 6, Qatari aircraft bound for Europe and Africa began to fly over Iran’s territory.
