Iran closes airspace to commercial flights without explanation
發佈日期: 2026-01-15 20:38
TVB News
Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for hours without explanation early today.
This, as tensions remained high with the United States over Iran's nationwide protests.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he had been told plans for executions in Iran have stopped.
The airspace closure ran for over four hours, according to pilot guidance issued by Iran. International carriers diverted north and south around Iran, but after one extension, the closure appeared to have expired and several domestic flights were in the air just after 7 a.m. Iranian time.
Iran previously shut its airspace during the 12-day war against Israel in June and when it exchanged fire with Israel during the Israel-Hamas war.
However, there were no signs of current hostilities though the closure immediately rippled through global aviation because Iran is located on a key East-West route for airlines.
Analysts said the situation may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or heightened air defences, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic.
The airspace closure came as some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate.
The US Embassy in Kuwait also ordered its personnel to "temporary halt" going to the multiple military bases in the small Gulf Arab country.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he had been told plans for executions in Iran have stopped. "We've been told that the killing in Iran is stopping. It's stopped. It's stopping. And there's no plan for executions or an execution or executions. So I've been told that on good authority. We'll find out about it. I'm sure if it happens, we'll all be very upset including you will be very upset, but that's just gotten to me from information that the killing has stopped, that the executions have stopped."
The shift comes a day after Trump told protesters in Iran "help is on the way" and his administration would "act accordingly" to respond to the Islamic Republic's deadly crackdown.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also sought to tone down the rhetoric, urging the US to find a solution through negotiation.
Asked by Fox News what he would say to Trump, Araghchi said "between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way."
Elsewhere, Israelis of Iranian descent rallied in support of protesters in Iran, waving the country's former flags and holding posters featuring exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Protesters held banners calling for freedom in Iran and expressing solidarity with demonstrators.
