India-Iran Aid Corridor Threatened After U.S. Airstrike Hits Mahan Air Vessel

An Iranian civilian aircraft operated by Mahan Air was reportedly struck and damaged during a United States airstrike at Mashhad International Airport on March 30, 2026, with details of the incident circulating widely in global media by March 31. The aircraft was stationed at the airport in northeastern Iran and was scheduled to depart for New Delhi, India, on April 1 to collect and transport essential medicines and medical equipment back to Tehran. According to reports from the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran and various news agencies including ANI, the strike disrupted what was intended to be a critical humanitarian mission coordinated between the two nations.
The incident occurred amidst an escalating regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has seen repeated strikes on infrastructure and military targets. While the Iranian government has officially condemned the attack as a “war crime” and a violation of international aviation laws such as the Chicago and Montreal Conventions, the United States has not yet provided official confirmation or a specific reason for targeting the airport at that time. The strike highlights the increasing vulnerability of civilian aviation assets in the region and threatens to delay the delivery of medical aid that India has been providing to support Iran’s pressured healthcare system during the ongoing hostilities.