12 Iranians Seeking Asylum in Ireland

Twelve Iranians left a Havana-bound Soviet airliner during a refueling stop at Shannon Airport and asked for political asylum in Ireland, authorities said Wednesday.

The group, which included three children, were passengers on an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Havana who approached immigration officials during a refueling stop at Shannon Airport on Ireland’s West Coast. A government spokesman in Dublin said the situation was being reviewed to see if the Iranians qualify for refugee status. The group was under the care of the Red Cross.