Iran to close airspace during Ali Khamenei’s funeral

Iran will close the airspace over its capital, Tehran, on July 6 during the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian aviation authorities.

Hossein Pourfarzaneh, head of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation and Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, announced that the airspace over Tehran will be completely closed for the duration of the funeral, the state-linked Iranian news agency IRIB reported via its Telegram channel.

"On Monday, the day of the funeral of the martyred leader of the revolution, the airspace over Tehran will be completely closed," Pourfarzaneh said.

He added that all civilian flights to and from Tehran will be suspended while the funeral ceremonies are underway. Iranian authorities have not yet announced when normal flight operations will resume.

The temporary closure is expected to affect both domestic and international air travel, with airlines likely to adjust schedules and reroute flights accordingly.

By Sabina Mammadli