Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's plane landed in Rasht, not Tehran, on its return from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan.
Modern.az reports that Iran's state news agency IRNA announced this. Along with Pezeshkian, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and the Minister of Sports and Youth were also on the plane.
According to Iranian media, Pezeshkian's plane later departed for Tehran, and the president arrived in the capital. It was confirmed that Pezeshkian arrived in Tehran on the morning of September 2.
The exact official reason for the plane's landing in Rasht has not been disclosed. However, the incident coincided with reports of air defense systems being activated in the eastern part of Tehran. Iran's Mehr agency reported on September 1 that air defense systems were activated in eastern Tehran.
Israeli media, however, linked the plane's diversion to Rasht with the activation of air defense systems in Tehran amid US strikes on Iranian territory. This version has not yet been officially confirmed by Tehran.
Pezeshkian's visit coincided with a renewed escalation of the situation in the Middle East. Previously, during his speech at the SCO summit, the Iranian President stated that they were ready to return to the ceasefire agreement reached with the US in June, and for this, Washington must also fulfill its obligations.
Thus, the landing of Pezeshkian's plane in Rasht instead of Tehran has become one of the notable events occurring at a time of renewed tension in the region.
