NEW YORK — The Iranian official delegation made its high-profile arrival in the United States to attend the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, navigating a long-haul, multi-leg transatlantic flight.
The delegation departed from Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport (THR) aboard a 34-year-old Airbus A340-311 (registration EP-IGI) at 8:15 AM IRST (04:45 UTC) on September 22.
Across Europe to North Africa
Shortly after leaving Iranian airspace, the quad-engine widebody climbed to a cruising altitude of 38,000 feet over Turkey. Crossing Southern Europe, flight route permissions enabled the aircraft to traverse Greek airspace before entering Italian airspace, guiding the jet over the Mediterranean Sea.
After six hours of flight time, the aircraft made a planned technical stop in North Africa, touching down at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers at 11:45 AM CET (10:45 UTC).
The Atlantic Crossing and JFK Arrival
Following a two-hour layover, the flight resumed at 1:45 PM CET (12:45 UTC). The Airbus A340 routed northwest over Spanish airspace before embarking on the long crossing over the North Atlantic.
At 6:15 PM EDT (22:15 UTC) on September 22, the government transport made its final approach and landed safely on Runway 04R at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
Relocation to Baltimore
Following the debarkation of the delegation at JFK, the aircraft did not remain on the ground in New York. To accommodate the heavy influx of head-of-state aircraft arriving for the UN General Assembly and ease congestion at JFK, the 34-year-old Airbus was repositioned shortly after arrival to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), where it will remain parked for the duration of the event.
