Tehran (Web Desk/Agencies): Iran lifted a temporary closure of its airspace late Wednesday, ending nearly five hours of disruption that affected flights across the region and fueled concerns over a potential military escalation involving the United States.
Aviation authorities had earlier restricted most flights over the country, but the ban was removed just before midnight local time. Flight monitoring services showed that several Iranian airlines were among the first to resume operations once the skies reopened.
The brief shutdown forced airlines to cancel, delay, or reroute flights, impacting carriers from India, Europe, and Russia, while some operators chose to avoid Iranian airspace entirely as a safety precaution.
The restrictions came amid mounting tensions over Iran’s domestic unrest and warnings from Tehran that it could strike U.S. military bases in the region if provoked. In response, U.S. officials confirmed that some personnel had been temporarily relocated from Middle Eastern bases as a precautionary measure.
International carriers, including Lufthansa, said they would continue avoiding Iranian and Iraqi airspace, citing safety concerns. Others announced temporary suspensions of night flights or altered routes to reduce risk.
India's largest airline, IndiGo, reported that the sudden airspace closure affected several of its international flights, while Air India said it was rerouting flights, which could lead to delays or cancellations. Russia’s Aeroflot, scheduled to fly to Tehran, returned to Moscow after the closure, according to Flightradar24 data.
Earlier in the day, Germany issued guidance warning airlines to steer clear of Iranian airspace, following adjustments made by Lufthansa as tensions in the Middle East rose. U.S. regulations already prohibit American commercial flights from overflying Iran, and there are no direct flights between the two countries.
Carriers such as flydubai and Turkish Airlines have also canceled multiple flights to Iran over the past week. Safe Airspace, a flight risk monitoring platform run by OPSGROUP, noted that most airlines are now avoiding Iranian airspace, warning that rising missile and drone activity in the region increases the chances of civilian aircraft being misidentified amid potential military operations.
Lufthansa said it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice, operating only daytime flights to Tel Aviv and Amman until Monday to prevent crews from staying overnight. Some flights could also be canceled due to these operational changes. Italian carrier ITA Airways, in which Lufthansa is now a major shareholder, said it would similarly suspend night flights to Tel Aviv until Tuesday.