The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) has suspended Iranian carrier Mahan Air’s licences, banning the airline from landing in Saudi airports or transiting its airspace. The suspension comes as the result of multiple violations committed by the airline related to the safety of international aircraft operators in the Kingdom, said GACA in a press release. Typically, c150 direct flights between Iran and Saudi Arabia carry thousands of pilgrims every month. However, the flight and trade were halted in January 2016 as part of Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic response to Iranian protesters storming the Saudi embassy in Tehran after the execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric, said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir as quoted by Reuters in January. (Al Hayat, Reuters)