On Saturday, Iran reinstated commercial flights from Tehran’s main airport, marking a significant step since the conflict with the US and Israel erupted almost two months prior.
At Imam Khomeini International Airport, travelers queued up as flights set off to destinations such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, according to reports from Iran’s state television.
Iran was among at least eight countries in the Middle East to close their airspace on February 28, following the initial US-Israeli airstrikes that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, igniting the conflict.
While nearby nations like Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates reopened their air traffic within a day to three days after the strikes, Iran remained under continuous attacks, making it unsafe to reopen Tehran’s airport.
The possibility of resuming flights arose following a ceasefire with the US, brokered by Pakistan on April 8, which was later extended by President Trump this week.
Iranian officials have initiated discussions with international airlines as they navigate the tentative peace agreement.
“Consultations have started with foreign airlines to explain the status of routes and re-absorb flights,” Mohammad Amirani, chief executive of Iran Airports and Air Navigation Company, told state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.
“But the increase in the number of these flights will happen in a phased manner.”
Airports on the Iran’s eastern side — which borders Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan — will be prioritized due to safety reasons, Amirani said.
Flights from the central and western region — which borders Iraq — will resume more slowly, he added, based on security assessments.
