Due to the ongoing instability in the Middle East, Iran canceled all domestic flights through the morning of October 3. The decision was announced by Cafer Yazerlu, the official representative of the country’s Civil Aviation Organization, and his remarks were reported by the national agency. For travelers in Canada and the United States, the development underscores how regional tensions can ripple into international air travel, potentially affecting itineraries that pass through Iranian airspace or nearby hubs.
To safeguard flight safety in light of the region’s volatile situation, officials said that all flights across the country would remain canceled until five o’clock tomorrow morning, four thirty Moscow time. The statement, broadcast to carriers and airports, highlights the seriousness with which authorities are treating airspace safety rights and the need to reassess routes until conditions stabilize.
Earlier Aeroflot had announced the closure of Iranian airspace, affecting the Moscow Dubai corridor. The SU524/525 service on Moscow–Dubai–Moscow was initially canceled, with plans to operate it on October 2 if conditions permitted.
Passengers scheduled to travel on SU520/521 were to be served by a larger capacity long-haul aircraft, enabling operations over the region when it becomes safe to do so. The change reflects the adjustment of fleet deployment in response to the evolving security situation and airspace access.
Earlier reports indicated that a passenger died on a flight bound for Tel Aviv after observers saw signs of a bombardment in the Israeli theater from inside the cabin. The aircraft diverted to an Egyptian airport to refuel and then returned to Sochi as crews assessed safety and potential flight plan options.
Previously a delegation led by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, who had traveled to Qatar, returned to Moscow after a layover in Mineralnye Vody. The return comes as officials review regional travel plans and coordinate on international engagement amid shifting flight conditions.