TEHRAN, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday condemned Israel's "threat against a civilian plane carrying Lebanese citizens" from Tehran to Beirut, saying the move disrupts normal flights bound for Beirut's international airport.

The condemnation came one day after Lebanese aviation authorities barred an Iranian passenger flight from landing at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only operational international airport in Lebanon, following an Israeli claim that Iran had been using the airport to "smuggle funds to Hezbollah."

Baghaei slammed the claim, accusing Israel of continuing its "flagrant and constant violations" of international principles and regulations and Lebanon's national sovereignty.

He called on relevant international organizations, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, to take serious actions to stop Israel's "dangerous behaviors" against civil aviation's safety and security.

In a post on social media platform X on Thursday, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee accused Iran and Hezbollah of exploiting Beirut's airport "over the past few weeks in an attempt to smuggle funds to arm Hezbollah for activities" against Israel.

On the same day, Lebanon's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said it had "temporarily rescheduled" some flights, including from Iran, until Feb. 18 as "additional security measures" were being implemented.

On Friday, Lebanon's Ministry of Public Works and Transport said it would issue a new schedule of flights starting Monday until after Feb. 18 in accordance with maintenance needs at the airport.

Also on Friday, Iran's Civil Aviation Organization confirmed in a statement on its website that the Lebanese aviation authorities had canceled the permits for flights by Iran's Mahan Air to Lebanon's capital on Feb. 13 and 14, and by Iran Air, the country's national carrier, on Feb. 18. Enditem

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