Iran will suspend flights from Tehran to Baghdad and Muscat from midnight on Wednesday, September 23, as restrictions affecting Iranian aviation continue to tighten.
Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation said on Tuesday that Baghdad and Muscat airports would no longer accept Iranian flights from midnight local time. The announcement was carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Iranian aviation authorities said they were coordinating to redirect flights originally bound for Baghdad to Najaf airport instead.
Other international flights, including services to Istanbul, were reported to be continuing as scheduled, although Iranian airlines are facing increasing restrictions on international operations.
The latest cancellations come amid mounting pressure on Iran’s aviation sector, following a series of restrictions and service disruptions affecting Iranian airlines.
The US has intensified measures against Iran’s aviation sector, including sanctions on entities accused of supporting Iranian aviation and military logistics. The restrictions have also affected ground-service providers and other companies serving Iranian airlines.
The cancellations affecting Baghdad and Muscat add to the difficulties facing Iranian carriers as regional airports impose restrictions on flights from Iran.
For passengers travelling between Iran, Iraq and Oman, the change means flights to Baghdad may have to be rerouted through Najaf, while the status of other international routes will depend on decisions by individual airports and aviation authorities.