Iran outlines four-stage plan to reopen airspace after regional disruptions

Tehran: Iran is preparing to reopen its national airspace in a phased, four-stage plan following significant disruptions caused by recent regional conflicts, as reported by the Tasnim News Agency.

Citing the deputy director of Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation, the report indicates that flight operations will resume in a graduated manner, moving from the eastern regions of the country towards the west.

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The proposed plan is aimed at restoring normalcy following significant disruptions triggered by recent regional conflicts. According to the state-linked news agency, the restoration of Iranian airspace will be executed across four distinct stages.

The initial phase of this plan will see the airspace opened specifically for transit flights. This will be followed by the second stage, which focuses on the resumption of services from airports located in the country's east.

The third phase will extend permissions to major airports, including Mehrabad International Airport and Imam Khomeini International Airport, enabling broader domestic and international flight operations.

In the final stage, additional Western aviation hubs will be gradually reopened, completing the nationwide restoration of air connectivity.

However, authorities have clarified that ticket sales remain suspended at present. The deputy director was quoted as saying, "Currently, airplane ticket sales are suspended, and people should pay attention to the official announcements of this organization to get the latest information about the airports and the possibility of purchasing tickets," as reported by Tasnim News Agency.

While the framework for the reopening has been established, the official report did not provide a specific timeline for when the first phase of the operation is scheduled to commence.

This move to reopen comes as Iranian airspace has remained largely inaccessible to standard commercial traffic since February 28, following a series of military strikes conducted by the United States and Israel.

Currently, only a restricted category of flights is permitted to operate within the region, all of which are subject to stringent prior approval requirements.

Monitoring of regional flight information regions indicates that Iran and Kuwait are the only territories in the central Middle East corridor that maintain a clear closure of their skies.

This sustained shutdown has forced global airlines to bypass the area, citing significant safety and security concerns. In response to the volatile situation, the majority of international carriers have opted to implement extensive rerouting strategies.

These measures ensure that flight paths remain clear of the affected zones as the regional aviation landscape continues to face unprecedented disruptions.