As new US sanctions make international travel more difficult, Iranian authorities shut down the French Language Center in Tehran, further undermining Iranians' plans to study and move abroad.
Iranians are becoming more isolated than ever. The list of countries restricting or suspending air connections with Iran has kept growing following new US sanctions, while the few remaining routes have become increasingly uncertain. This gradual closing of doors has also affected spaces that, for decades, have allowed the population to maintain ties with the outside world, notably through language learning and academic and cultural exchanges.
On Thursday, September 24, Iraqi authorities announced the suspension of Iranian flights to Baghdad and Najaf, south of the capital. The Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE also said it was suspending, until further notice, all flights operated by Iranian airlines to and from the UAE. This decision was particularly significant for Iranians, as the UAE is home to a large Iranian community and serves as a major transit hub. Oman also closed its airports to Iranian airlines.
Some countries have also restricted access to their airspace. A flight by the Iranian carrier Varesh Airlines from Tehran to Dushanbe, the Tajik capital, was forced to turn back on Thursday after Turkmenistan refused permission to enter its airspace.
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