Unwelcome airplane

Imagine being trapped in politics and suffer from whatever dumb decisions your government makes. That's probably how the Airbus A330-200 with the registration EP-IJA from Iran Air must feel. It ferries passengers between Frankfurt am Main and Tehran on a weekly basis, but it doesn't get a warm welcome in our part of the world.

Due to sanctions, the airplane cannot be refueled at the airport, so it hauls the fuel it needs for the return trip. There are no any ground services rendered either. Back in Iran, the aircraft maintenance is most likely below standards, because spare parts are hard to come by. And yet the machine solders on. It's sad, really.