Shahak said the steward “was sick of being in Iran, prepared a pistol, hijacked the plane and forced the crew to come here.” Israeli radio reported that the attendant had tried to quit his airline job some time ago, but his request was denied.
The pilot had asked for permission to land in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, but both countries refused him. Jordan’s King Hussein reportedly called Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to warn him that the Iranian plane was heading Israel’s way.
Islamic-ruled Homeland is one of Israel’s principal enemies in the Middle East and backer of such other enemies as the Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.