Israel Bans United Airlines Pilot Over Pro-Iranian Social Media Posts
Israel banned an Iranian-origin United Airlines pilot from its airspace after intelligence linked him to pro-regime and pro-Hezbollah social media posts.
The Ministry of Transportation officially banned a United Airlines pilot of Iranian origin from entering Israeli airspace after intelligence surfaced regarding his alleged social media support for Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Hezbollah, N12 reported on Wednesday.
Intelligence and Security Assessment
The pilot, identified as Sina Amjadian, reportedly resides in Dubai and previously flew for Flydubai. Information regarding his online activity was flagged by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs following monitoring efforts. The findings were subsequently transferred to the Mossad and Unit 760 for professional security evaluation.
The professional security assessment concluded unequivocally that the individual must not be permitted to enter Israeli airspace as a flight crew member, according to the Ministry of Transportation.
Following the recommendation, an official directive was issued to United Airlines, which formally acknowledged and confirmed receipt of the restriction.
United Airlines Response
United Airlines confirmed that Amjadian has been employed by the carrier since November 2022. The airline stated that he is not qualified to operate wide-body aircraft and therefore does not perform international long-haul flights, handling only domestic US routes and flights between the US and Canada.
Despite assurances from the carrier, Israeli security officials acted swiftly over concerns that he could be assigned to flights heading to the country. Meanwhile, authorities are continuing efforts to identify other potentially hostile crew members operating on international routes.
