BERLIN – Iran set off a diplomatic row with Germany on Tuesday by closing its airspace to Chancellor Angela Merkel's plane as it flew to India and delaying her arrival there on an official visit.
Germany summoned the Iranian ambassador in Berlin to protest "the breach of international protocol," said Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
"Iran's move to hinder the chancellor's trip is absolutely unacceptable," he said in a statement. "This is a lack of respect for Germany that we won't accept," said Westerwelle, who was on an official trip to Australia.
Iran had granted overflight permission to Merkel's plane before it left Berlin, but that was revoked after the chancellor was airborne, the German government said.
Merkel's plane was forced to circle over Turkey for about two hours en route to India , said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert. He called it a violation of normal diplomatic privilege that Merkel had never experienced before.
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