Iran prolongs airspace ban amid continuing tensions with Israel

Iran has extended the closure of its airspace for 24 hours, the Iranian Ministry of Transport said.

The closure will remain in place until 14:00 local time on June 23, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

This decision continues a series of airspace restrictions initiated due to heightened military tensions with Israel.

The series of airspace closures in Iran began on June 13, triggered by an escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict.  On that day, Israel launched a major military strike targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, prompting Iran to close its airspace to all air traffic.

Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks on Israel further intensified the situation, creating significant safety risks for civil aviation due to active military operations, including the use of air defence systems, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

Neighbouring countries, including Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Syria, also closed their airspaces due to the conflict, compounding regional air travel disruptions. Eastern Iraq, a busy air corridor for Europe-Asia routes, was particularly affected.

By Khagan Isayev