Imam Khomeini Airport resumes flights to Istanbul, Muscat

Imam Khomeini International Airport in Iran's capital Tehran has partially restarted international aviation activities following an extended suspension triggered by regional military confrontations. Initial services from the facility are now connecting the metropolis to Istanbul, Muscat, and Medina, marking the first foreign passenger movements in weeks. Ramin Kashef Azar, chief executive of Imam Khomeini Airport City, confirmed the operational restart to Iranian media outlets on Friday, paving the way for Saturday morning's departures.

Ceasefire ends airspace restrictions

Aviation operations had been severely restricted since February 28, when armed conflict erupted following coordinated offensive actions by Washington and Tel Aviv against Iranian positions, subsequently prompting defensive military responses from Tehran. The confrontation resulted in widespread disruptions to civilian air traffic throughout the region. Hostilities have remained suspended since April 8 under a truce arrangement facilitated by Islamabad, creating conditions for the gradual restoration of commercial transport links.

Diplomatic efforts in Islamabad

Negotiations between American and Iranian representatives took place in Pakistan approximately two weeks prior, with further discussions currently being organized. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Islamabad to participate in ongoing consultations, while senior American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to reach the Pakistani capital shortly. Despite these movements, prospects for the immediate restart of direct bilateral negotiations remain limited according to diplomatic sources monitoring the process.