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EASA warns EU airlines to avoid Iranian airspace amid heightened military tensions

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The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) advising all EU-regulated and EASA-authorised third-country operators not to operate in Iranian airspace due to a significantly elevated safety risk.

The warning applies to all altitudes and flight levels within Iran’s Tehran Flight Information Region (FIR Tehran – OIIX). According to EASA, heightened alert levels among Iranian air defence forces—driven by ongoing regional tensions and the potential for U.S. military action—have increased the risk of misidentification of civil aircraft.

EASA highlights the presence of a wide range of air-defence systems, including surface-to-air missiles, and notes that unpredictable military responses could pose a serious threat to civil aviation. The agency also cautions that any U.S. intervention could trigger retaliatory actions, potentially affecting the airspace of neighbouring countries hosting U.S. military bases.

In response, EASA recommends that air operators:

  • Completely avoid operating within Iranian airspace;

  • Exercise heightened caution and contingency planning when routing through neighbouring airspace, particularly near U.S. military installations;

  • Closely monitor developments and adhere to all relevant aeronautical publications and guidance from national authorities.

EASA, together with the European Commission and EU Member States, will continue to monitor the situation and reassess the risk level as regional developments evolve.