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Israeli lands in Iran due to malfunction in plane
Israeli passenger spends several hours at Tehran airport after his Turkish Airlines flight is forced to land there due to technical problem. 'They treated me very well and invited me to visit again,' man says
An Israeli citizen found himself at the Tehran international airport this weekend, after his plane, which was bound for India, had to land in Iran due to a technical malfunction.
Benny Medvediev, 32, from Rehovot boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Mumbai in Istanbul on Friday. Two and-a-half hours after takeoff, the captain informed the 125 passengers and crew members that because of a technical problem he was forced to land the plane in Tehran.
After spending several hours at the airport, the plane took off again, but was forced to return to Tehran shortly after.
"At first I was very concerned, I was scared to death," Medvediev said. "But they were very nice to me and even invited me to visit Tehran again. I told them, 'Let's make peace, I invite you to come to Jerusalem'."
Only Israeli on the flight
"When they told us that we were going to make an emergency landing in Tehran, I informed the pilot that I was an Israeli, and asked them to leave me at the cockpit, but they refused," he said.
"I was the only Israeli on the flight. At the beginning, I was scared to death. Like many Israelis I serve in a reserves combat unit and I didn't want to end up like Ron Arad," Medvediev added.
"They told me, 'We know that you're Israeli, but you have nothing to worry about. We will help you with anything you need'."
Despite his concerns, Medvediev ended up receiving VIP treatment from the Iranians. Before his plane took off for the second time, the Iranian security personnel gave him a wooden box as a souvenir from his unusual visit.
An Israeli businessman became a guest of Iran when his flight had to make an emergency landing. Benny Medvediev spent the weekend in Tehran after the plane on which he was traveling from Turkey to India had to land midway because of technical problems.
Medvediev said the crew refused to allow him to wait aboard the plane, so he was forced to disembark with the other passengers. To his surprise, Iranian officials treated him well despite knowing his nationality. He was the sole Israeli among the group, though there was a Jewish couple from Britain that owns property in Israel.
"For the first hour I was scared to death," Medvediev told Yediot Achronot on Sunday. "But soon enough I realized that Iranians do not have horns. They were really wonderful to me and even invited me to return to Tehran. I told them, come on, let's make peace and I'll invite you to Jerusalem."
After a daylong wait in the transit lounge of Tehran airport, Medvediev and his fellow passengers reboarded their plane and continued without incident to Bombay.
An Israeli passenger who spends several hours in Tehran after emergency landings, says "They treated me very well and invited me to visit again."
An Israeli citizen found himself at an international airport in Iran this weekend, after his Turkish Airlines plane, which was bound for India, had to land in Iran due to a technical malfunction.
Benny Medvediev, 32, from Rehovot boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Mumbai in Istanbul on Friday. Two and-a-half hours after takeoff, the captain informed the 125 passengers and crew members that because of a technical problem he was forced to land the plane in Tehran.
The 123 passengers were forced to spend the night in the airport's international lounge, Haaretz said. Even after the flight was resumed the next day, it was forced after two hours by further mechanical problems to return to Iran.
Despite the knowledge of his nationality, the Iranians were very nice in both visits, he said.
"At first I was very concerned, I was scared to death," Medvediev said. "But they were very nice to me and even invited me to visit Tehran again. I told them, 'Let's make peace, I invite you to come to Jerusalem'," Y-Net website quoted him as saying.
"They told me, 'We know that you're Israeli, but you have nothing to worry about. We will help you with anything you need'."
Despite his concerns, Medvediev ended up receiving VIP treatment from the Iranians, Y-Net wrote. Before his plane took off for the second time, the Iranian security personnel gave him a wooden music box as a souvenir from his unusual visit.
"The truth is that I was afraid,'' Benny told Y-Net.
"I serve in the army reserves and I have some pictures of me on my computer dressed in a uniform and standing at a [West Bank] roadblock.''
When Turkish Airlines sent a replacement airplane, the flight was resumed for a second time and it finally landed in Mumbai.
An Israeli citizen found himself at the Tehran international airport this weekend, after his plane, which was bound for India, had to land in Iran due to a technical malfunction.
Benny Medvediev, 32, from Rehovot boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Mumbai in Istanbul on Friday. Two and-a-half hours after takeoff, the captain informed the 125 passengers and crew members that because of a technical problem he was forced to land the plane in Tehran.
After spending several hours at the airport, the plane took off again, but was forced to return to Tehran shortly after.
"At first I was very concerned, I was scared to death," Medvediev said. "But they were very nice to me and even invited me to visit Tehran again. I told them, 'Let's make peace, I invite you to come to Jerusalem'."
Only Israeli on the flight
"When they told us that we were going to make an emergency landing in Tehran, I informed the pilot that I was an Israeli, and asked them to leave me at the cockpit, but they refused," he said.
"I was the only Israeli on the flight. At the beginning, I was scared to death. Like many Israelis I serve in a reserves combat unit and I didn't want to end up like Ron Arad," Medvediev added.
"They told me, 'We know that you're Israeli, but you have nothing to worry about. We will help you with anything you need'."
Despite his concerns, Medvediev ended up receiving VIP treatment from the Iranians. Before his plane took off for the second time, the Iranian security personnel gave him a wooden box as a souvenir from his unusual visit.
An Israeli businessman became a guest of Iran when his flight had to make an emergency landing. Benny Medvediev spent the weekend in Tehran after the plane on which he was traveling from Turkey to India had to land midway because of technical problems.
Medvediev said the crew refused to allow him to wait aboard the plane, so he was forced to disembark with the other passengers. To his surprise, Iranian officials treated him well despite knowing his nationality. He was the sole Israeli among the group, though there was a Jewish couple from Britain that owns property in Israel.
"For the first hour I was scared to death," Medvediev told Yediot Achronot on Sunday. "But soon enough I realized that Iranians do not have horns. They were really wonderful to me and even invited me to return to Tehran. I told them, come on, let's make peace and I'll invite you to Jerusalem."
After a daylong wait in the transit lounge of Tehran airport, Medvediev and his fellow passengers reboarded their plane and continued without incident to Bombay.
An Israeli passenger who spends several hours in Tehran after emergency landings, says "They treated me very well and invited me to visit again."
An Israeli citizen found himself at an international airport in Iran this weekend, after his Turkish Airlines plane, which was bound for India, had to land in Iran due to a technical malfunction.
Benny Medvediev, 32, from Rehovot boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Mumbai in Istanbul on Friday. Two and-a-half hours after takeoff, the captain informed the 125 passengers and crew members that because of a technical problem he was forced to land the plane in Tehran.
The 123 passengers were forced to spend the night in the airport's international lounge, Haaretz said. Even after the flight was resumed the next day, it was forced after two hours by further mechanical problems to return to Iran.
Despite the knowledge of his nationality, the Iranians were very nice in both visits, he said.
"At first I was very concerned, I was scared to death," Medvediev said. "But they were very nice to me and even invited me to visit Tehran again. I told them, 'Let's make peace, I invite you to come to Jerusalem'," Y-Net website quoted him as saying.
"They told me, 'We know that you're Israeli, but you have nothing to worry about. We will help you with anything you need'."
Despite his concerns, Medvediev ended up receiving VIP treatment from the Iranians, Y-Net wrote. Before his plane took off for the second time, the Iranian security personnel gave him a wooden music box as a souvenir from his unusual visit.
"The truth is that I was afraid,'' Benny told Y-Net.
"I serve in the army reserves and I have some pictures of me on my computer dressed in a uniform and standing at a [West Bank] roadblock.''
When Turkish Airlines sent a replacement airplane, the flight was resumed for a second time and it finally landed in Mumbai.
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