Iran smuggles two planes from Lithuania to evade sanctions

The planes’ transponders, which enable them to be identified by air traffic control radar, were turned off as they entered Iranian airspace.

Lithuania’s public broadcaster announced Thursday that Iran had smuggled two planes out of Lithuania that were bound for Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

The two Airbus A340s, leased by Gambia’s Macka Invest, were due to fly to South Asia in February but reportedly ended up in Iran. The planes’ transponders, which allow them to be identified by air traffic control radar, were turned off when they entered Iranian airspace. Aviation data website ch-aviation reported that one plane landed at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport and the other at Chabahar’s Konark Airport. (Foreign Agency)