Iran reopened its airspace late on Wednesday after a near five-hour closure that disrupted airline traffic, amid heightened concerns over possible military escalation involving the United States.
According to notices issued by aviation authorities, Iran had temporarily restricted its airspace to most flights before lifting the measures shortly before midnight local time. Flight tracking data showed several Iranian carrier aircraft among the first to resume operations.
The closure forced airlines to cancel, delay or reroute flights, affecting carriers from several countries. Airlines in India, Europe and Russia confirmed disruptions, while others avoided Iranian airspace altogether as a precaution.
The temporary shutdown came as tensions escalated over Iran’s internal unrest and warnings from Tehran that it could retaliate against U.S. military bases in the region if attacked.
U.S. officials said some American personnel had been withdrawn from bases in the Middle East as a precautionary measure.
Several international carriers, including Lufthansa, said they would continue to bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace, citing safety concerns. Others announced the suspension of night flights to parts of the region or further route adjustments.
Aviation risk groups warned that rising missile and drone activity in multiple conflict zones has increased the danger of misidentification of civilian aircraft, underscoring ongoing risks for commercial aviation in the region.
India's largest airline, IndiGo said some of its international flights would be impacted by Iran's sudden airspace closure. Air India said its flights were using alternative routes that could result in delays or cancellations.
A flight by Russia's Aeroflot bound for Tehran returned to Moscow after the closure, according to Flightradar24 data.
Earlier on Wednesday, Germany issued a new directive cautioning the country's airlines from entering Iranian airspace, shortly after Lufthansa rejigged its flight operations across the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region.
The United States already prohibits all U.S. commercial flights from overflying Iran and there are no direct flights between the countries.
Airline operators such as flydubai and Turkish Airlines have cancelled multiple flights to Iran in the past week.
"Several airlines have already reduced or suspended services, and most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace," said Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information.
"The situation may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or heightened air defence, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic," it said.
Lufthansa said on Wednesday that it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice while it would only operate day flights to Tel Aviv and Amman from Wednesday until Monday next week so that crew would not have to stay overnight. Some flights could also be cancelled as a result of these actions, it added in a statement.
Italian carrier ITA Airways, in which Lufthansa Group is now a major shareholder, said that it would similarly suspend night flights to Tel Aviv until Tuesday next week.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washingto...
The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury. ...
At least 44 people have died and more than one million have been stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, au...
The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury.
At least 44 people have died and more than one million have been stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, authorities said on Saturday (11 July).
More than 100 countries now spend more on servicing debt than on education, UNESCO has warned, as it called on governments and international lenders to expand the use of debt-for-education swaps.
South Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who helped Bafana Bafana reach the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time, has died at the age of 25.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
Dozens of flights have been cancelled across East Asia as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches China. The typhoon, which has maximum sustained winds of 162 kph (100mph), is nearing a remote chain of Japanese islands, east of Taiwan on Friday.
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
This is the last of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
At least 44 people have died and more than one million have been stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, authorities said on Saturday (11 July).
Turkish prosecutors have ordered the detention of 36 people, including the mayor of an Ankara district controlled by the main opposition, over alleged bribery and tender-rigging.
Temperatures above 40°C are scorching parts of Central Asia, prompting the World Health Organization to warn that extreme heat is becoming an increasing public health threat across the region.
This is the third of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment