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Iran reopens airspace after temporary closure forced flights to reroute

At a similar time last week to the airspace closure there had been dozens of planes in the air over Iran, Flightradar24 said.

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Iran reopened its airspace after a near-five-hour closure amid concerns about possible military action between the U.S. and Iran that forced airlines to cancel, reroute or delay some flights.

Iran closed its airspace to all flights except international ones to and from Iran with official permission at 5:15 p.m. ET (2215 GMT) on Wednesday, according to a notice on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration website.

The notice was removed shortly before 10 p.m. ET, or 0300 GMT, according to tracking service Flightradar24, which showed five flights from Iranian carriers Mahan Air, Yazd Airways and AVA Airlines were among the first to resume over the country.

At a similar time last week to the airspace closure there had been dozens of planes in the air over Iran, Flightradar24 said.

The temporary closure came as President Donald Trump has been weighing a response to the situation in Iran, which is seeing its biggest anti-government protests in years.

The United States was withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, after a senior Iranian official said Tehran had warned neighbors it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.

Missile and drone barrages in a growing number of conflict zones represent a high risk to airline traffic.

India’s largest airline, IndiGo (INGL.NS), said some of its international flights would be impacted by Iran’s sudden airspace closure. Air India said its flights were using alternative routes that could result in delays or cancellations.

A flight by Russia’s Aeroflot (AFLT.MM), bound for Tehran returned to Moscow after the closure, according to Flightradar24 data.

Earlier on Wednesday, Germany issued a new directive cautioning the country’s airlines from entering Iranian airspace, shortly after Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), rejigged its flight operations across the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region.

The United States already prohibits all U.S. commercial flights from overflying Iran and there are no direct flights between the countries.

Airline operators like flydubai and Turkish Airlines have canceled multiple flights to Iran in the past week.

“Several airlines have already reduced or suspended services, and most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace,” said Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information. “The situation may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or heightened air defence, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic.”

A Ukraine International Airlines jet was downed by Iran’s military in 2020, killing all 176 passengers and crew.

Lufthansa said on Wednesday that it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice while it would only operate day flights to Tel Aviv and Amman from Wednesday until Monday next week so that crew would not have to stay overnight. Some flights could also be canceled as a result of these actions, it added in a statement.

Italian carrier ITA Airways, in which Lufthansa Group is now a major shareholder, said that it would similarly suspend night flights to Tel Aviv until Tuesday next week.

Regional

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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Regional

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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