Iran has announced a partial reopening of its airspace to international traffic, allowing flights to once again pass through the eastern part of its territory, according to the country’s Civil Aviation Authority.
“Air routes in the eastern section of the country’s airspace are open for international flights transiting through Iran,” it said, adding that some airports had also reopened at 7:00 am (0330 GMT).
The move marks a limited easing of restrictions after disruptions to air travel in the region, although authorities did not immediately provide a timeline for a full reopening of the country’s airspace.
The announcement is expected to ease some pressure on international carriers that have been forced to reroute flights around Iran in recent periods of heightened tension.
However, despite the official statement, there was little immediate evidence of resumed traffic.
More than three hours after the reopening was announced, flight tracking websites still showed no international aircraft passing through Iranian airspace.
Instead, several airlines continued to divert their routes, taking longer detours to avoid the region entirely, suggesting that operators were still assessing the safety and operational implications of the partial reopening before making changes to established flight paths.
