Why Has Iran Postponed Full Airspace Reopening?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Iran's airspace reopening is delayed for safety considerations.
- Closure affects northern, southern, and western airspace.
- The situation follows Israeli airstrikes and a recent ceasefire.
- Significant damage reported on Iran's nuclear facilities.
- International flights are affected by this decision.
Tehran, June 27 (NationPress) Iran has delayed the complete reopening of its airspace until Saturday afternoon, as reported by the official news agency IRNA on Friday.
This decision was taken to guarantee the safety and security of passengers and flights, especially considering the reopening of the nation's eastern airspace for both domestic and international flights. This was stated by Majid Akhavan, the Spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
According to the announcement, the airspace in the northern, southern, and western regions will remain closed until 14:00 local time on Saturday (1030 GMT).
The ministry had previously announced the reopening of its eastern airspace on Wednesday night, aiming to gradually restore air traffic to levels seen before recent conflicts, as noted by Xinhua news agency.
Iran had closed its airspace on June 13 following Israeli airstrikes targeting Tehran and other locations. A ceasefire was established between the two parties on Tuesday after a 12-day aerial conflict.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that the closure of the northern, southern, and western airspace would remain in effect.
Majid Akhavan reiterated, "In light of the reopening of Iran's eastern airspace to flights, the northern, southern, and western regions will stay closed until 14:00 local time on Friday (1030 GMT)," as reported by IRIB.
Earlier that day, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that their 12-day military operation against Iran had caused significant damage to three of the country's primary nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, posing a serious challenge to Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
The IDF indicated that Israel initiated ‘Operation Rising Lion’ on June 13, aiming to disrupt Iran's nuclear and missile endeavors, which were perceived to threaten the existence of the State of Israel.