Iran airlifts 450 tons of vegetables to Qatar

Iran has sent five planes of vegetables to Qatar, its national carrier said yesterday, after other Gulf countries cut off air and other transport links to the emirate.

“So far five planes carrying vegetables have been sent to Qatar, each carrying around 90 tonnes of cargo, while another plane will be sent today,” Iran Air spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi said.

“We will continue deliveries as long as there is demand,” he added, without specifying if the deliveries were exports or aid.

Three ships loaded with 350 tonnes of fruit and vegetables were also set to leave an Iranian port for the country, the Tasnim news agency quoted a local official as saying.

In the biggest diplomatic crisis in the region in years, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, plus Egypt and Yemen, announced they were cutting all ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting extremism.