The monarchy has refused to allow the plane with the Sudanese president on board enter Saudi airspace to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Hassan Rohani.

Riyadh said that the plane lacked authority but Khartoum ruled out Saudi official’s claims.

Sudan Civil Aviation authorities reiterated that Saudi officials were informed about president’s plan to fly over the country.

The plane was forced to return to Khartoum and the president failed to attend the ceremony.

“Omar al-Bashir was not flying on his private plane and was heading to Tehran by an airplane leased from Saudi Arabia,” Sudan’s Presidential Press Secretary Emad Sayed Ahmed said in a statement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi expressed deep regret over the prevention of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's plane from flying to Iran.

“We were informed by the Sudanese Embassy in Tehran that one of the countries on the flight route of Mr. Omar al-Bashir’s plane did not give permission for his plane to fly over its airspace,” Araqchi said last Sunday.

The Iranian diplomat went on to say, “If it is true that this country has committed such an act, it is deeply regrettable.”

Saudi’s move has disappointed the Iranian officials as the newly elected president vowed to engage with all countries worldwide, including the Muslim states in the region.

MRKD/NJF