Iran condemns Europeans' disrespect for Bolivian president

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Araqchi in a statement criticized several European countries for closing their airspace to Bolivian President Evo Morales. Bolivian government announced that France, Spain, Portugal and Italy refused to allow Morales’ plane, which was flying from Moscow back to Bolivia, to cross their airspace “on suspicion of carrying US surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden onboard”. In a statement on Thursday, Araqchi said the move was an insult to the rights of the Bolivian nation and their president, the symbol of the sovereignty of the Latin American country. “The measure also violated international regulations and accepted responsibilities with regard to observing the contents of international conventions and total immunity of planes carrying presidents of various countries,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said. Bolivian government is planning to lodge a formal complaint to the United Nations after several European nations denied airspace to Morales' plane. “The decisions of these countries have violated international law and We are already making procedures to denounce this to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,” Bolivia's Ambassador to the UN Sacha Llorenti told reporters in Geneva on Wednesday. Morales' plane was forced to land in Austria en route to Bolivia. The aircraft left Vienna after a stopover of more than 12 hours. Bolivia is one of the countries to which Snowden has reportedly applied for asylum.