The plane carrying Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has entered Iranian airspace, according to reports. The Zioneer earlier Tuesday evening reported that a plane believed to be carrying Pezeshkian departed Tehran.
The Zioneer reports that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's aircraft, IRAN02, has entered Iranian airspace as of 02:16 Jerusalem Wednesday, marking the latest development in a rapidly evolving sequence. The flight's return to Iranian territory follows reports Tuesday evening that Pezeshkian had abruptly departed Najaf, Iraq, where he had attended the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Zioneer's tracking of this story began at 19:20 Tuesday, when flight data indicated a Mearaj Airlines plane believed to be carrying Pezeshkian had departed Mehrabad Airport in Tehran. By 21:15, multiple reports emerged: Israeli media reported that Pezeshkian and IRGC Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani had landed in Najaf; shortly thereafter, unofficial Iranian channels, cited by journalist Yair Goldblatt, said Pezeshkian was leaving Iraq to return to Iran; and finally, a report indicated the president was abruptly returning to Tehran from Najaf, for reasons not yet known. The source base evolved from flight tracking to Israeli media reports to unofficial Iranian channels.
The backdrop to this journey, as The Zioneer has reported, is the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei and Pezeshkian's participation in the funeral in Najaf, a significant Shiite holy city. The president's movements occur amid a fragile political landscape following the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June, though the cause of the abrupt return remains unclear.
As of this writing, the aircraft has not yet been confirmed to have landed in Tehran. The reason for the sudden change in itinerary — from a visit to Najaf to an immediate return home — has not been officially explained. The Zioneer continues to monitor flight data and official channels.
5 developments
- StrongReport: Iranian plane believed to be carrying President Pezeshkian departs Tehran
- StrongIranian President Pezeshkian meets Pakistan's PM Sharif in Islamabad
- DevelopingNew York Times: Iran's Pezeshkian threatens to resign if US-Iran deal fails
- DevelopingIranian President Pezeshkian denies threatening to resign, says claim aimed at harming his standing
Source and signal
- Internal intake