Daijiworld Media Network – Tehran
Tehran, Jul 4: In a major step towards restoring normalcy following weeks of heightened tensions and conflict, Iran has officially reopened its airspace for both domestic and international flights. The move comes nearly three weeks after a complete closure was imposed amid escalations in the war with Israel.
According to the state-run IRNA news agency, operations have resumed at Tehran’s Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini International Airports, along with several others spread across the country’s northern, eastern, western, and southern regions. However, flights from Isfahan and Tabriz airports remain temporarily suspended, pending infrastructure readiness.
Flight services will operate during the day between 5 am and 6 pm, officials confirmed, with expectations that full national coverage will be restored shortly.
The airspace shutdown on June 13 was triggered by intense military exchanges between Iran and Israel, which included a series of coordinated air strikes and missile retaliations. Israeli air raids claimed the lives of several high-ranking Iranian military personnel, prompting Iran to retaliate with drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli-held territories.
The United States entered the fray on June 22, joining Israeli forces in striking key Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. In response, Iran launched missiles at a major US military installation in Qatar—a move that marked one of the fiercest escalations in the region in recent years.
Following days of conflict, a ceasefire agreement was reached on June 24. While calm has prevailed since then, geopolitical tensions remain high.
Meanwhile, the US has imposed fresh sanctions on Iran, specifically targeting its oil export network. Among those named are Iraqi businessman Salim Ahmed Said and a UAE-based firm accused of disguising Iranian oil exports by blending them with Iraqi shipments. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated Washington’s commitment to choking Tehran’s revenue streams, stating that the move aims to further disrupt Iran’s “destabilizing activities.”
Despite the ceasefire, the situation remains fluid. The Pentagon recently claimed that Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear weapon could now be delayed by up to two years due to the damage inflicted on its facilities. However, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Rafael Grossi warned that uranium enrichment could resume within months.
Diplomatic efforts to resume US-Iran nuclear negotiations remain stalled. Talks facilitated earlier by Italy and Oman were effectively derailed by the outbreak of hostilities. Iran has since rejected a new European Union proposal to revive the dialogue.
As flights begin to resume and global attention shifts back to diplomacy, Iran’s reopening of its skies is seen as a cautious but hopeful step towards regional de-escalation.