All outbound tours to Turkey have been canceled due to the spread of a new coronavirus variant, the secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines has announced.
According to the Interior Ministry, and the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control, tourist tours to Turkey have been canceled until further notice, IRNA quoted Maqsoud Asadi Samani as saying on Tuesday.
However, flights between Iran and Turkey are operated on schedule, the official added.
Earlier this week the official announced that there is no plan at present to suspend flights to and from Turkey. He added that airlines flying to Turkey will immediately halt the service if the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control votes to its suspension.
Considering the widespread of the mutated coronavirus in Turkey, it is necessary to halt, by the next 48 hours, traveling via land and air borders to and from Turkey for a week, Namaki stressed.
“Iranian citizens who are in Turkey and intend to turn back to the country, as well as Turkish citizens who are in Iran, can leave the country observing the relevant protocols and doing PCR test to make sure no infection spreads,” he highlighted in the letter.
For Iranians entering the country from land and air borders, quarantine is also required for suspicious or positive cases, he stated.
On February 22, the spokesman of Iran's Customs Administration Rouhollah Latifi said Iran has closed five crossing points with Iraq to prevent the spread of the UK variant of coronavirus, ISNA reported.
Flights between the two neighbors have repeatedly been suspended in recent months for the sake of coronavirus concerns though passengers are required to observe strict health protocols and hold a well-being certificate with a negative coronavirus PCR test result.
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