Iran’s temporary shutdown of its airspace prompted flight diversions and fresh safety warnings on Wednesday as regional tensions disrupted airline operations across the Middle East.
Iran shut its airspace to all flights except authorised international services at 5:15 p.m. ET (2215 GMT), according to a notice posted on the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.
The restriction is scheduled to remain in place until 7:30 p.m. ET, or 0030 GMT, with the FAA noting that the prohibition could be extended.
A U.S. official said Washington was withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East after a senior Iranian official warned neighbouring states that Tehran would strike American bases if the U.S. carried out any action. Missile and drone activity in several conflict zones has increased the risk to civilian aviation.
India’s airline IndiGo said some international flights would be affected by the closure, while tracking data showed an Aeroflot flight bound for Tehran turning back to Moscow.
Earlier in the day, Germany issued new guidance advising its carriers to avoid Iranian airspace, shortly after Lufthansa adjusted its Middle East operations.
The U.S. already prohibits its commercial carriers from overflying Iran and has no direct flights with the country. Airlines such as flydubai and Turkish Airlines have cancelled multiple services to Iran in recent days.
Safe Airspace, operated by OPSGROUP, said most carriers were now avoiding Iranian airspace and warned that the situation could involve military activity, including possible missile launches or heightened air defence, which increases the risk of misidentifying civilian aircraft.
Lufthansa said it would bypass both Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice. The airline will operate only daytime flights to Tel Aviv and Amman through Monday next week to avoid overnight crew stays, adding that some cancellations are likely. ITA Airways, in which the Lufthansa Group holds a major stake, said it would also suspend night flights to Tel Aviv until Tuesday.
A landmark gathering of commercial and political minds has convened in the Kyrgyz capital, signalling a significant shift in Washington’s foreign po...
Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed at least 18 people, including four children, in Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinian officials said, as Israel h...
The World Health Organization has added the Nipah virus to its list of the world’s top 10 priority diseases, alongside COVID-19 and the Zika virus, ...
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Abu Dhabi, February 4, reaffirming momentum in their peace...
Thousands of documents linked to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been taken down from the U.S. Justice Department’s (DOJ) website after v...
Washington has accepted Tehran’s request to relocate planned nuclear talks, with negotiations now expected to take place in Oman on Friday (6 Februrary), Axios reported.
Armed boats tried to intercept a vessel north of Oman on Tuesday in waters near the Strait of Hormuz, where heightened military activity and U.S.–Iran tensions are fuelling maritime security concerns.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has begun a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, seeking to deepen political and economic cooperation as regional tensions over Gaza, Iran and wider Middle East stability dominate the agenda.
Talks with the U.S. should be pursued to secure national interests as long as "threats and unreasonable expectations" are avoided, President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X on Tuesday (3 February).
Talks with the U.S. should be pursued to secure national interests as long as "threats and unreasonable expectations" are avoided, President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X on Tuesday (3 February).
Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío has denied that Havana and Washington have entered formal negotiations, countering recent assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, while saying the island is open to dialogue under certain conditions.
Mexico said it will stop sending oil to Cuba as U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the Caribbean nation.
Iranian media outlets have backtracked on claims President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered a return to nuclear talks with the United States, fuelling fresh uncertainty over the state of diplomacy between the two rivals.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organisers describe as one of the region’s largest digital economy gatherings.
A landmark gathering of commercial and political minds has convened in the Kyrgyz capital, signalling a significant shift in Washington’s foreign policy approach towards the Eurasian heartland.
Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed at least 18 people, including four children, in Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinian officials said, as Israel halts the passage of patients through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Abu Dhabi, February 4, reaffirming momentum in their peace process and highlighting growing trade, connectivity and confidence-building measures.
A second group of Palestinians receiving medical treatment arrived in Egypt from Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Tuesday (3 February).
The most prominent son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, has been killed, sources close to the family, his lawyer Khaled el-Zaydi and Libyan media said on Tuesday (3 February).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment