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Airlines operating in Syria have been informed that they are not allowed to transport Iranians or Israelis into the country, where a new administration has taken over following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad, according to a source at Damascus airport. The decision also comes amidst fears of Iranian and Israeli interference in internal affairs, especially following threats made by Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

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International flights resumed at Damascus’ main airport on January 7, roughly a month after al-Assad was ousted by opposition armed factions in a swift attack. However, very few airlines have since resumed operations or announced plans to resume flights to Syria.

On Thursday, a source at Damascus airport, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media, stated: “Airlines currently operating flights to Damascus have been informed that they must not transport citizens holding Israeli or Iranian nationality to Syria.”

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Syria and Israel are technically at war and have no diplomatic relations. Entry of Israelis into the country has long been impossible. However, Iranians have bolstered their presence in Syria, particularly after the onset of the war, with some taking up arms to defend President Bashar al-Assad‘s regime within groups supervised by the Revolutionary Guards. Israel occupies the Golan Heights and has exploited the situation following al-Assad‘s fall to expand and occupy the buffer zone and areas in Quneitra province.

Although Iran was a major supporter of al-Assad‘s government, relations between Damascus and Tehran have been nearly frozen since the latter’s ousting. The leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed al-Shara, has pledged to eliminate the Iranian project or prevent the country from becoming a ground for destabilizing regional security. Two airlines appear to have already complied with these unannounced measures by the transitional authorities.

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A source at a travel agency in Damascus said: “We received instructions from Qatar Airways stating that it is currently not possible to book flights for Iranian passengers wishing to travel to Damascus. However, we have not yet received official instructions from the Ministry of Transport on this matter.” Qatar Airways was the first international airline to announce the resumption of its flights to Damascus.

On Wednesday, Turkish Airlines announced that it would resume flights to Damascus starting January 23, after more than a decade of suspension.

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In a statement published on the company’s website, it stated that “in line with recent decisions by the new authorities of the Syrian Arab Republic, certain rules have been imposed on passengers entering Syria.” The statement noted that “citizens of all countries except Israel can enter Syria.” However, it also mentioned that Iranian citizens “can only enter the country with prior authorization,” instead of indicating a total ban.

These measures come after threats issued by several Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, against the new Syrian administration.

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Khamenei, following the sudden change that shocked Iran, encouraged destabilization in Syria, claiming that “a group of honorable people” could reverse the current situation and oust the “rebels” from power.

Meanwhile, senior officials in the Revolutionary Guards also sent warnings to the new Syrian authorities after admitting to losing influence in Syria.

In contrast, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi expressed his country’s willingness to cooperate with the new Syrian authorities, while denying the existence of any communication channels at present.

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