Iran has begun reopening sections of its airspace to international flights following a fragile ceasefire that ended nearly two weeks of intense hostilities with Israel. The announcement, made on Saturday by Majid Akhavan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, signals a cautious return to normalcy in the region’s aviation sector after the complete closure of Iranian airspace on June 13.
According to state-run IRNA news agency, while the eastern half of the country’s airspace had already been reopened earlier this week, Iran has now authorized international overflights through its central and western regions. “The airspace over the central and western parts of the country has now also been opened only for international overflights,” Akhavan stated.
However, domestic flights and those to and from key airports in the north, south, and west of the country including Tehran’s Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini international airports remain suspended. Akhavan urged citizens to refrain from heading to these airports and advised them to follow updates through official channels to avoid confusion.
The move follows a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel that brought an end to 12 days of hostilities marked by Israeli airstrikes and Iranian missile retaliation. The initial closure of Iranian airspace was a direct response to the Israeli bombardment on June 13, which targeted multiple locations including the city of Mashhad in eastern Iran an airport there has now resumed limited operations.
Chabahar Airport in the southeast has also resumed functioning, offering a lifeline for travelers and aid shipments. However, flights across many other parts of the country remain grounded until further notice as authorities continue to assess the security situation.
The reopening of overflight routes is particularly significant for global aviation, as Iran’s geographic position is a critical corridor for airlines connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The partial restoration of airspace access is expected to ease detours and reduce fuel costs for international carriers, though the ongoing suspension of key airports indicates that full normalization may still be some way off.
