Airline to operate six flights a week between London and Tehran for first time since October 2012

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

British Airways has resumed direct flights to Iran after the lifting of sanctions.

The service was suspended in October 2012 amid instability in the country. Six return flights per week will operate between London Heathrow and Tehran, before a daily service will start later this year.

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BA described the Iranian capital as “an important destination” for the airline.

The resumption of flights on Thursday follows the lifting of some sanctions against Iran in January after the international nuclear watchdog said the government had met its obligations as part of a deal with six world powers.

The then foreign secretary Philip Hammond said at the time that British firms should take advantage of the opportunities that would open up.

Last August, the British embassy in Tehran reopened after it was ransacked in 2011.

The first BA plane to Iran, a Boeing 777, will depart from Heathrow at 9.10pm. Flights were initially due to resume in July but there was a delay in establishing the route.

A BA spokeswoman said: “The Iranians have been extremely helpful in setting up this important new route and have been as keen as we are for the service to start.

“Tehran is an important destination for British Airways and we wanted to ensure that the service we offered met the highest standards our customers rightly expect of us from day one.”

Air France resumed Paris-Tehran flights in April after an eight-year break.