Did Iran smuggle aircrafts out of Lithuania? Why is this a cause for concern?

In a matter involving the conduct of Iran, it has been reported that two aircrafts which had taken off from an airport in Lithuania disappeared and were smuggled into Iran. These two aircrafts were flying to Sri Lanka and Philippines. This is not the first time that Iran has smuggled aircrafts into the country. It has been reported by Metro that the two aircrafts changed their path and disappeared after entering the Iranian airspace. Further, authorities in Lithuania prevented a third aircraft from taking off. Iran has been sanctioned by many of the western countries including the US. This incident is alleged to have taken place in February.

Incident:

The two Airbus A340 aircrafts took off from the Siauliai airport in Lithuania. All communication with the aircrafts was abruptly stopped after they entered the Iranian airspace and switched off their transponders. These transponders help the flight to remain within the radar. While one aircraft landed at the Mehrabad International airport in Tehran, the other landed at the Chabahar Konarak airport.
The aircrafts belong to a Gambian leasing company named Macka invest. The authorities in Lithuania did not let the third aircraft take off after they received information that the first aircraft had landed in Iran.

What happened to the aircrafts?

They were effectively smuggled into the country or forcibly made to land by the Iranian regime. This may have been done as Iran cannot purchase any aircrafts due to the strong economic sanctions levied against it. The incident has worried the authorities in Lithuania.

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FAQs
Is this the first time that Iran has smuggled aircrafts into its territory?
This is not the first time the country has done something like this. In December 2022, four Airbus A340 aircrafts which took off from Johannesburg in South Africa and which were heading towards Uzbekistan were stopped and smuggled into the country.

How many aircrafts does Iran need?
The Tehran Times reported that the country needs at least 550 aircrafts. A single Airbus A340 aircraft would cost more than 120 million British pounds and due to sanctions, the country cannot afford this amount.

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