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Airlines reroute, cancel flights as tensions ramp up over Iran

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Airlines have been rerouting and cancelling some flights across the Middle East as tensions ramp up between Iran and the United States, with President Donald Trump saying on Thursday the U.S. had an “armada” heading towards Iran.

A senior Iranian official said on Friday Iran will treat any attack “as an all-out war against us”, ahead of the arrival of a U.S. military aircraft carrier strike group and other assets in the Middle East in the coming days.

The European Union’s aviation regulator recommended on January 16 that its airlines stay out of Iran’s airspace as tensions flared over Tehran’s deadly crackdown on protests and U.S. threats of intervention.

KLM

Airline KLM will avoid flying over large parts of the Middle East until further notice due to rising tensions there, the Dutch arm of airline group Air France KLM (AIRF.PA), opens new tab said on January 24.

“As a precaution, given the geopolitical situation, KLM will not fly through the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Israel and will not fly over several countries in the Gulf region,” a KLM spokesperson said.

AIR FRANCE

Air France resumed its service to Dubai on January 24 after suspending it a day before, saying it was following the situation in the Middle East “in real time”.

“Air France continuously monitors the geopolitical situation of the territories served and overflown by its aircraft,” it said in a statement.

LUFTHANSA

Lufthansa said on January 14 it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice, and would only operate day flights to Tel Aviv and Amman between January 14 and January 19.

Some flights could be cancelled as a result of these actions, it added in a statement that day.

BRITISH AIRWAYS

British Airways temporarily suspended flights to Bahrain on January 16 as a precautionary measure, saying it “continue(d) to keep the situation in the region under close review”.

Flights to Bahrain were once again available on the BA website on January 24, and a spokesperson for the airline said all its flights were going ahead as scheduled.

FINNAIR

Finnair (FIA1S.HE), opens new tab said in a statement on January 16 it had stopped flying through Iraqi airspace, travelling to Doha and Dubai over Saudi Arabia instead.

The carrier had already been avoiding Iranian, Syrian and Israeli airspace for security reasons.

WIZZ AIR

A Wizz Air (WIZZ.L), opens new tab spokesperson said in January that the company avoided Iraqi and Iranian airspace.

“Therefore some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports will have to make (refuelling and crew change) stops in Larnaca, Cyprus or Thessaloniki, Greece,” the representative said.

 

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Mojtaba Khamenei: Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases

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Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new leader, said on Thursday that Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases on their territory, as Tehran will continue its attacks against them.

In his first statement, broadcast and read out by state television, Khamenei told the Iranian people: “I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging ‌the blood of your martyrs.”

He added: “The popular demand is to continue our effective defence and make the enemy regret! The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”

However, state television did not explain why Khamenei’s first remarks were read by a presenter rather than delivered in a video.

No images of him have yet been released since the strike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei.

In these remarks, Mojtaba Khamenei also confirmed that his wife, sister, and other family members were killed.

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Up to 3.2 million displaced inside Iran as conflict escalates, UNHCR says

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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the conflict that erupted on February 28, warning that the humanitarian situation is rapidly worsening.

In a statement released Thursday, the UN refugee agency said the figure is based on preliminary assessments of uprooted households and could rise further if hostilities continue.

“This number is likely to increase as fighting persists, signaling a troubling escalation in humanitarian needs,” UNHCR said.

The agency noted that many of the displaced have fled their homes in search of safety, often moving to nearby provinces or staying with relatives and host communities. Others have sought temporary shelter in public buildings and informal settlements, placing additional pressure on local resources.

Humanitarian organizations say the sudden movement of millions of people is creating urgent needs for shelter, food, medical care and basic services. Aid agencies are working with local authorities to assess conditions and deliver assistance to affected communities.

The displacement crisis comes amid broader regional instability that has raised concerns among international organizations about the potential for further population movements both inside Iran and across borders.

UNHCR said it is continuing to monitor developments closely and is coordinating with humanitarian partners to scale up assistance as the situation evolves.

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Trump on Iran: We won, but don’t want to leave early

Trump has seesawed ​on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly ‌degrading ⁠Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.

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U.S. President Donald Trump said on ‌Wednesday that “we won” the Iran war but that the United States will stay in ​the fight to finish the ​job.

“You never like to say too ⁠early you won. We won,” ​Trump told a campaign-style rally in Hebron, Kentucky. “In ​the first hour it was over.”

He said the United States had knocked out 58 ​Iranian naval ships.

Trump has seesawed ​on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly ‌degrading ⁠Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.

“We don’t want to leave early do we?” Trump ​said. “We ​got to ⁠finish the job.”

He said the United States has “virtually destroyed ​Iran.” He seemed to signal that ​the ⁠United States would continue the fight for now.

“We don’t want to go ⁠back ​every two years,” he ​said.

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