Turkish Airlines has suspended all scheduled flights to Tehran on Friday amid ongoing civil unrest in Iran, according to official airport tracking applications. The cancellation affects five Istanbul-Tehran routes operated by the Turkish flag carrier, while Iranian airlines have similarly canceled five additional flights. Seven other scheduled flights between the two nations remain operational despite the turmoil.
The flight disruptions occur as Iran experiences widespread protests triggered by severe economic pressures and rising living costs. These demonstrations represent one of the most significant challenges to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s government in recent years. The civil unrest has been further complicated by Iran’s ongoing economic crisis, exacerbated by international sanctions and recovery efforts following June’s military conflict with Israel.
Aviation monitoring services reported that on Thursday evening, a Turkish Airlines aircraft bound for Shiraz and a Pegasus Airlines flight heading to Mashad were forced to abort their journeys and turn back from Iranian airspace. Turkey and Iran share a 500-kilometer (300-mile) border with three active land crossings, though the impact of the protests on ground transportation remains unclear.
Human rights organizations have documented significant violence during the protests. Norway-based Iran Human Rights reported Thursday that security forces have killed at least 45 protesters, including eight minors, since the demonstrations began. Turkish authorities have not yet issued official statements regarding the situation in neighboring Iran.