Iran Temporarily Closes Airspace Amid Rising Tensions, Airlines Reroute Flights

WASHINGTON, Jan 15:  Iran temporarily closed its airspace to most flights on Wednesday, allowing only international flights with official permission, in a move that disrupted regional and global air traffic. The closure began at 5:15 p.m. ET and was initially set to last until 7:30 p.m. ET (0030 GMT), though authorities warned it could be extended.

The closure comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with the United States reportedly withdrawing some personnel from regional bases following Iranian warnings that Tehran could target American installations if Washington carried out strikes.

Missile and drone activity across multiple conflict zones has raised concerns over airline safety. India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, said some international flights would be affected, while Russia’s Aeroflot reportedly returned a Tehran-bound flight to Moscow after the sudden closure, according to Flightradar24 tracking data.

Germany also issued a directive cautioning airlines about Iranian airspace shortly after Lufthansa adjusted operations across the Middle East. Lufthansa announced it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace and operate only daytime flights to Tel Aviv and Amman until next week to avoid overnight stays. Similarly, Italian carrier ITA Airways said it would suspend night flights to Tel Aviv.

The US already bans all commercial flights over Iranian territory, and several carriers, including Flydubai and Turkish Airlines, have canceled multiple flights to the country in the past week. A flight risk-monitoring site, Safe Airspace, said, “Several airlines have already reduced or suspended services, and most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace. The situation may signal further security or military activity, including missile launches or heightened air defenses, increasing risks for civil traffic.”