Iran's Red Crescent Society cancels aid flotilla to Gaza

Iran's Red Crescent Society has canceled a plan to send a shipload of aid to the Gaza Strip, saying it was denied access to pass through the Suez Canal, a claim rejected by Egypt.

The ship had been due to set off from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in recent days as part of Iran's support to efforts to break Israel's blockade of the strip.

"Following further restrictions imposed by the occupier regime and prevention of a permit for the ship to pass through the Suez Canal, the departure of the Red Crescent ship carrying humanitarian aid has been postponed," the society said in a statement on its website.

However, the Suez Canal Administration said it had not received any request for Iranian vessels to cross the canal en route to Gaza.

"We did not inform the Iranian side of refusing to allow any aid vessel, and at the same time we have not received any requests through shipping agents or Iranian authorities regarding the passage of an aid ship," a senior official at the authority said.

He added that the Suez Canal Authority doesn't impose any restrictions on Iranian ships.

Separately, Turkey has barred an Israeli military plane from using its airspace, a Turkish diplomat said Monday, with future flights to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

"Military planes are required to obtain overflight permission before each flight. One military plane was denied permission immediately after" the May 31 raid by Israeli soldiers on Gaza-bound aid ships, a Turkish diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Agencies