Turkey demanded the aircraft carrying Greek Prime Minister and government’s ministers to Iran not to be landed on the Greek island of Rhodes arguing that Rhodes is a demilitarized area. They even suggested prime minister’s aircraft Embraer to be refueled in Ankara so as to give an overflight permission to Embraer to fly over Turkish airspace.

The Greek government then presented a new flight plan involving flying over Egypt, Cyprus, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, while the refueling was made in Egypt.

As Turkey said to Greek government, Embraer is a military aircraft since it has military pilots and crew, so it cannot land on Rhodes, since they consider it as a demilitarized zone. Therefore, the aircraft cannot take off from Rhodes to continue its flight through Turkey and they suggested Greece to submit a new flight plan and refuel the aircraft in Ankara, Alexandroupolis or any other area.

Greek diplomats, then, suggested to the prime minister to avoid a new flight plan which would include Turkey, because that would mean Greece recognizes Rhodes as a demilitarized zone. Therefore, prime minister’s aircraft flew over Egypt, Cyprus, Jordan and Saudi Arabia so as to reach Iran, while the refueling was made in Egypt.