Open on paper, empty in practice
Iran's airspace is open again. Its own aviation authority is issuing routine notices for runways, taxiways and military training areas, not a blanket closure. But almost no foreign airline wants to fly through it, and most Iranian airlines can no longer fly much of anywhere else.
That is the state of Iranian aviation eight months after the war began. The skies are technically open, the regulators say stay out, and US sanctions have cut Iran's own carriers off from much of the world.
What the regulators say
The rules for Western airlines have not softened since spring.
- FAA: US airlines and US-registered aircraft are barred from the Tehran flight information region at all altitudes under Special Federal Aviation Regulation 117. The ban runs to October 31, 2027.
- EASA: Europe's safety agency tells its airlines not to operate in Iranian airspace at any altitude. Its bulletin, CZIB-2026-04-R2, was extended on September 30 to November 16 with no change to its advice.
EASA's reasoning is blunt. Iran keeps its air force and air defense units on high alert, which raises the chance that a passenger jet is mistaken for a threat. A sudden return to fighting could also outrun any airspace closure. The agency calls the truce "fragile."
Iran itself has added a warning. A NOTAM valid through November 10 cautions all flights that the conflict zone may extend over the high seas in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman west of 59 degrees east.
How the war got here
EASA's bulletin lays out the timeline. The United States and Israel struck Iran on February 28, and Iran hit back. A ceasefire took hold on April 8. On June 17 the two sides signed a memorandum extending it, but tensions have stayed high, including Iranian attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz.
Sanctions grounded the airlines that kept flying
The bigger blow in recent weeks came from the US Treasury, not missiles.
On September 8, Treasury's sanctions office designated 27 more Iranian airlines. Among them were Iran Aseman, Qeshm Air, Kish Airlines, Karun and Zagros. Iran Air and Mahan Air were already sanctioned. Treasury says the regime uses the airline sector to move weapons, personnel and illicit cargo, and that the Revolutionary Guard has used Mahan to ferry weapons and personnel.
Treasury also suspended licenses that allowed payments for overflights of Iran, case-by-case aircraft safety deals, bunkering and emergency repairs. Treasury also targeted front companies it says help Iran obtain US-made aircraft and parts. For airlines flying older Western jets, closing the safety license door matters.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that from September 23, anyone who fuels, handles or sells tickets for Iranian airlines risks being cut off from the dollar system, as Iran International reported. The effect was quick. According to Al Jazeera, Oman, Azerbaijan and Georgia stopped serving Iranian carriers, and Baghdad's airport was declared off limits to them. The UAE suspended Iranian airlines' flights the next day, citing the sanctions.
The few routes still flying
A small network survives.
- Iraq: Iraq's government says Iranian airlines, except Mahan, may fly up to 40 daily flights to and from Najaf, Reuters reported on October 2.
- First foreign airline back: On October 8 an Iraqi Airways flight from Najaf landed at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport. Iranian state media called it the first foreign airline flight there since the war.
- Iran Air: An Iran Air official told the state news agency IRNA that it flies Tehran and Mashhad to Istanbul and Karachi, and Tehran and Isfahan to Najaf, as Iran International reported.
At home, the picture is rougher. Iran's own NOTAM list for Tehran's Mehrabad airport, the main domestic hub, posted on October 25, reports holes on taxiways, some taxiways usable only as emergency exits, and clearance delivery not operating.
Foreign airlines are staying away
Very few foreign carriers serve Iran now.
- Lufthansa Group: Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Edelweiss have suspended Tehran through October 31, according to the group's own update for travel agents.
- Turkish Airlines: A representative told Iran International it has no Iran flights scheduled before March 2027.
- Emirates and Qatar Airways: Emirates told the same outlet it no longer flies to Tehran. Qatar Airways said its Iran flights are suspended because of airspace limits, with a tentative November 29 restart that could change.
What it means for your flight
If you are flying Europe to Asia, Iran is one more country your plane goes around. With Iran and Iraq both off limits for most airlines, and Saudi Arabia now under its own warnings, routes squeeze into a narrow northern lane over Turkey and the Caspian or a southern one over Egypt and the Red Sea. That is why some flights now run up to two hours longer. Our Saudi detour explainer breaks it down, and our Middle East guide covers your refund rights. For the Gulf hubs, see who is flying to Dubai.
If you are a US citizen thinking about Iran itself, the answer is no. The State Department's advisory, reissued October 23, is Level 4: do not travel for any reason. It tells Americans in Iran to leave now and warns of wrongful detention. The Swiss office that handles US interests in Tehran is closed for now.
The next dates to watch are November 16, when EASA's bulletin is due for review, and Qatar Airways' tentative November 29 return. Until then, Iran's skies stay open on paper and nearly empty in practice.
