On Wednesday, January 8, a Ukrainian aircraft was shot down after lifting from the airport in Tehran, Iran. All 176 people on board were killed.

Two days later, the Swedish Transport Agency, as the only country in the world, decided to temporarily suspend the traffic permit for Iran's national airline Iran Air. No direct flights between Sweden and Iran are allowed.

The decision has caused problems for Amir Reza Riazi and his family who flew from Gothenburg to Tehran at Christmas.

"Now our return flight with Iran Air on February 18, directly from Tehran to Gothenburg, has been canceled because of the Swedish Transport Agency's decision," he says.

As the situation is right now, it will entail huge costs for the family, says Amir Reza Riazi.

- We may have to buy new air tickets and then there will be no direct flights. We may have to stop in Istanbul or Qatar. It will be a great extra cost for us.

Amir Reza Riazi and his family from Sweden are worried about how to get home from Iran at no extra cost after their flight has been canceled due to the Transport Authority's revoked traffic permit for Iran Air. Photo: Private

Contacted airlines and authorities

Amir Reza Riazi tells SVT News that he has been in contact with both the airline concerned, the Swedish Transport Agency and the Swedish Consumer Agency.

- We have called Iran Air and they say it is not their fault and wait for the Swedish Transport Agency to grant permission to fly again. If they fail, they will pay back the return costs or we will fly to Amsterdam and then buy their own air tickets from there to Gothenburg, he says.

The Consumer Agency in Sweden announces on its website that there are three alternatives: get back the cost of the ticket that cannot be used, get the trip rebooked as soon as possible or get the trip rebooked for an opportunity that suits the traveler.

Transport Agency: For dialogue with Iranian authorities

Gunnar Ljungberg, Director of Maritime and Aviation at the Swedish Transport Agency, says that you have a dialogue with the Iranian authorities and follow the developments every day.

- Our aim is to safeguard the safety of the passengers and that is why we have made the decision. It's boring and of course we do what we can to not prolong this unnecessarily, he says.

Can you tell when the revoked state is lifted?

- No. When we have reviewed the information we have, we will return. I can't promise anything, says Gunnar Ljungberg.