Lithuania: resumption of Iran-Belarus flights to increase migration flows

March 29, BPN. Lithuanian Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė says the resumption of direct flights between Iran and Belarus can lead to heavier migration flows.

“As far as we know, the first direct flight from Iran to Minsk is today, meaning that migration flows will resume and risks will only increase,” the minister said, as quoted by BNS.

Bilotaitė said it was important to prepare and allocate resources to control the possible risks.

On March 21, Stanisław Żaryn, secretary of state at the chancellery of the Polish prime minister, said the announced new flights from Tehran to Minsk might be an attempt to establish a new migration route and cause a more massive “hybrid operation” involving migrants.

During Alaksandr Łukašenka’s visit to Iran on March 12-13, a road map for comprehensive cooperation in multiple fields was signed.

Soon afterwards, Iran’s Mahan Air announced the launch of regular flights between Tehran and Minsk in late March. The flights would be performed twice a week.

Besides, flight-tracking website Flightradar24 displays Iraqi Airways flights between Iraq and Belarus (Baghdad-Minsk: March 29 and 31; Minsk-Baghdad: March 30 and 31). The respective airports have not reported these flights on their websites.