Iran airspace reopened amid fears of US attack threats
Iran reopened its airspace after a near five-hour closure triggered by fears of possible military escalation between the United States and Iran, which disrupted airline operations across the region.
According to a notice published on the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website, Iran shut its airspace at 5:15 p.m. ET (2215 GMT) on Thursday, January 15, 2026, allowing only international flights operating to and from Iran with special official permission.
The notice was lifted shortly before 10 p.m. ET (0300 GMT), flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed.
Flights operated by Iranian carriers including Mahan Air, Yazd Airways and AVA Airlines were among the first to resume operations over Iranian airspace following the reopening.
The temporary shutdown came as US President Donald Trump weighed potential responses to the unfolding situation in Iran, which has witnessed its largest anti-government protests in years.
A US official said Washington had begun withdrawing some personnel from military bases in the Middle East after a senior Iranian official warned that Tehran would target American bases in the region if the US launched strikes.
The UN Security Council was due to meet over the demonstrations later Thursday, as countries in the region urged stability.
Estimates of the death toll range from under 3,000 to over 12,000. A days-long shutdown of the internet by the Iranian regime meant that information about the protests and violence was hard to access and verify.
Iran and its Western foes have both described the unrest as the most violent since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that installed Iran’s system of Shiite clerical rule.
Earlier this week, rights organisation Hengaw reported that the protester, Soltani, arrested in connection with demonstrations in the city of Karaj, was due to be executed on Wednesday.
However, on Thursday this week, Iranian state media said that while Soltani was being charged with “colluding against the country’s internal security and propaganda activities against the regime,” the death penalty does not apply to such charges if they are confirmed by a court.
The human rights group said there were “serious and ongoing concerns” regarding Soltani’s life.
