Dubai

Iran temporarily closed its airspace to commercial flights early Thursday, causing disruptions along a major East-West aviation corridor, as tensions with the United States remain high amid Tehran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests.

According to pilot advisories, the airspace was shut for more than four hours. International airlines rerouted their flights around Iranian airspace, while several domestic services resumed shortly after 7 a.m. following an extension of the closure.

Although Iran has previously restricted its airspace during the 12-day conflict with Israel in June and during the Israel-Hamas war, there were no immediate signs of hostilities this time. Nevertheless, the closure created immediate concerns for global aviation due to Iran’s strategic location.

“Several airlines have already reduced or suspended services, and most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace,” reported SafeAirspace, a website tracking conflict zones and aviation risks. The platform warned that the closure could indicate potential military or security operations, increasing the risk of misidentifying civilian aircraft.

Iran has a history of such incidents. In 2020, its air defense mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, killing all 176 people on board, before eventually acknowledging the error after initially denying responsibility.

The airspace closure coincided with precautionary measures at some U.S. military facilities in Qatar, where personnel were advised to evacuate. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also temporarily suspended staff visits to several military bases. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on Iran at the request of the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump offered ambiguous statements Wednesday regarding potential American responses to the Iranian situation, noting that plans for executions in Iran had reportedly been halted but providing few specifics. This followed his earlier declaration to Iranian protesters that “help is on the way” in response to the Islamic Republic’s crackdown.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged diplomacy over conflict, telling Fox News, “Between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way, although we don’t have any positive experience from the United States. But still diplomacy is much better than war.”

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The shift in rhetoric came hours after the Iranian judiciary chief emphasized the need for swift action against thousands of detained protesters. Human rights activists have warned that executions could occur imminently. The Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that the security forces’ crackdown has left at least 2,615 people dead, marking the deadliest civil unrest in decades and evoking memories of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.