MOSCOW, June 16. /TASS/. Moscow hopes that air traffic restrictions imposed amid the Iranian-Israeli conflict will not be a problem for senior officials from Arab countries who plan to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"We hope that this [problems with flights from Arab countries amid the conflict between Iran and Israel] will not happen. High guests, as a rule, arrive by special flights. But nevertheless, there is a reality we are living in. We will keep an eye on the development of the situation," he said when asked about the presence of high guests from Arab countries at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum amid flight restrictions.
Overnight into June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion targeting Iran’s nuclear program. Iran responded in less than 24 hours. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged strikes again. Both parties reported casualties and damage, and admitted that a number of facilities had been hit, but said the damage was limited.