BAHRAIN has denied entering talks with Iran to re-establish direct air links.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation head Hamid Reza Pahlevani told Iranian news agency Tasnim that he had conferred with his Bahraini counterpart on the sidelines of the 38th session of the International Civil Aviation Organisation General Assembly.

He said there was an agreement in place to resume the Tehran-Manama direct link, but added it needs to be approved by both sides to become operational.

Suspended

However, a Transport Ministry spokeswoman denied the claims yesterday.

“There are no agreements with Iran at this point in any sector,” she said.

“We don’t have anything.”

Flights to Iran were suspended in March 2011 amid claims the country and Lebanon-based militant group Hizbollah were involved in Bahrain’s unrest.

The GDN also reported in October last year that national carrier Gulf Air was unable to resume flights to Tehran because the Iranian Civil Aviation Authority had been slow to approve flight schedules.