A United Airlines pilot based in Los Angeles has drawn Israeli security concerns after publicly posting messages interpreted as sympathetic to Iran and Hezbollah, a US-designated terrorist organization.
Israel’s Transportation Ministry informed United Airlines on Wednesday that pilot Sina Amjadian would be denied entry, according to the Jerusalem Post. The decision followed a review of posts published on his social media accounts.
Amjadian’s Instagram biography identifies him as “Persian made” and lists Los Angeles International Airport as his base. The profile also displays a heart beside “IKA,” the airport code for Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport.
His account has included images of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei alongside Islamic Republic flags, as well as criticism of Israeli military strikes against Iran.
Two posts appeared to draw particular attention from Israeli authorities. In one video, Amjadian reportedly kisses and salutes the emblem of Iran’s ruling regime.
In another post, he allegedly voiced support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, which the United States classifies as a terrorist organization.
“The pilot’s details were forwarded to the relevant aviation security authority […] to ensure that he would not be permitted to enter Israel as a member of an aircraft crew,” an Israeli Transport Ministry spokesperson told The Travel.
The information was also shared with Israeli intelligence and defense agencies. After reviewing the material, those authorities recommended that Amjadian be barred from entering the country.
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The California Post contacted United Airlines and Amjadian for comment.
United told the California Post that Amjadian is not currently operating flights for the airline and has been on leave since 2024.
It remains unclear whether he has returned to flight duties. However, he has continued sharing videos from aircraft in recent days on Instagram, while his LinkedIn profile still lists him as a United Airlines employee, a position he has held since November 2022.
Before joining United, Amjadian flew for flydubai. The Jerusalem Post reported that he is believed to be staying in Dubai.
Authorities also determined that Amjadian does not fly international routes. His assignments reportedly focus mainly on domestic services in the United States and routes to Canada.
Israel’s decision comes amid heightened aviation security concerns following an alleged attempted terrorist attack involving a flydubai co-pilot on a flight headed to Israel.
The co-pilot had joined flydubai only months earlier when he allegedly stabbed the captain during a September flight to Tel Aviv. The incident raised fears of a terrorist hijacking and sent the aircraft into an 18,000-foot plunge.
Since that episode, Israel has increased scrutiny of airline crews. United Airlines subsequently issued an internal memo warning employees that crew members from 29 nationalities, including citizens of Oman and Iraq, are prohibited from working on any route to Israel.
