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U.S. officials said some American personnel had been withdrawn from bases in the Middle East as a precautionary measure.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.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fa...
Japan and Indonesia will deepen coordination on energy security, Tokyo said, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts vital oil and gas flows to As...
One month into the war on Iran which broke out on 28 February, and Tehran has intensified its diplomatic offensives in a bid to prove that Israel a...
China's three largest state-owned airlines have issued warnings regarding their financial outlook for the c...
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas and several EU foreign ministers arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday t...
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fallout. At the same time, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate began to emerge amid rising global energy and security concerns.
Japan and Indonesia will deepen coordination on energy security, Tokyo said, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts vital oil and gas flows to Asia.
China's three largest state-owned airlines have issued warnings regarding their financial outlook for the current year, acknowledging that the eruption of war involving Iran has driven jet fuel prices to unsustainable highs.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas and several EU foreign ministers arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Bucha massacre and to voice their support for Ukraine, amid tensions within the bloc over blocked EU aid.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
A senior Iranian military officer warned that American troops will become ‘food for sharks’ on Sunday if the U.S. launches a ground offensive in Iran. The threat came as contingents of U.S. Marines began to arrive in the Middle East, with thousands expected to be deployed in the region.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fallout. At the same time, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate began to emerge amid rising global energy and security concerns.
Israel’s parliament has passed a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of carrying out deadly attacks on Israelis, a move that has sparked sharp criticism both domestically and internationally.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday urged U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in the escalating Gulf conflict, warning that only he could prevent it from spreading further.
The Middle East conflict has entered a new phase, with Israel expanding its operations into southern Lebanon and tensions with Iran escalating. Analysts warn that the collapse of traditional deterrence and rising nuclear risks could trigger a global arms race.
Imports of industrial goods into Kyrgyzstan surged in January 2026, driven by a construction boom and the modernisation of production capacity, with China supplying $51.2 million in electrical equipment to become the country’s largest trading partner.
Georgia’s Minister of Economy, Mariam Kvrivishvili, met UK Ambassador Gareth Edward Ward in Tbilisi on 27–28 March to discuss trade, investment and transport links between Georgia and the United Kingdom.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment