A spate of flight cancellations from key regional hubs including Turkey and Dubai disrupted air travel to Iran as anti-government protests over rising living costs continued to spread across the country.
In Turkey, Turkish Airlines cancelled all five of its scheduled Friday flights to Tehran, according to the Istanbul Airport mobile application. The same source showed that five additional flights operated by Iranian airlines were also cancelled, while seven other flights to the Iranian capital remained scheduled.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that a Turkish Airlines aircraft en route to Shiraz and a Pegasus Airlines flight bound for Mashhad turned back after entering Iranian airspace late on Thursday, pointing to growing operational disruptions. Further south, aviation data published on the Dubai Airports website showed that at least six flights scheduled for Friday between Dubai and several Iranian cities were cancelled. According to the Al Khaleej newspaper, the affected routes included services to Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad, three of Iran’s main air hubs.
No official reasons were given for the cancellations and there was no immediate clarification from airlines or authorities on whether alternative arrangements were being offered to affected passengers.
Widespread Protests In Iran
The flight disruptions come as Iran faces sustained protests over the rising cost of living, adding pressure on the government led by Ali Khamenei. The demonstrations are unfolding against the backdrop of a prolonged economic crisis triggered by years of international sanctions and compounded by the impact of Iran’s June conflict with Israel.
Rights groups have accused Iranian security forces of using lethal force to suppress the protests. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said at least 45 protesters, including eight minors, have been killed since the demonstrations began.
