European Agency Recommends Airlines Avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Lebanese Airspace Until End of August

Welat TV – Erbil

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday recommended that airlines avoid operating flights through the airspace of Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon due to ongoing regional tensions and the heightened risk of further military operations.

The agency said its Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) covering the three countries will remain in effect until August 31, noting that the recommendation is based on the "continued high level of tensions and the possibility of further military operations."

EASA added that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains fragile, warning that if the truce collapses, Iranian airspace could face "significant threats" that may affect the safety of civil aviation.

Meanwhile, the agency withdrew its previous advisory urging airlines to exercise caution when operating in the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, without indicating whether updated guidance for those countries would be issued.

The warning follows heightened military tensions between the United States and Iran after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced strikes on U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to U.S. attacks on targets inside Iran, raising fresh concerns over aviation safety across the region.

EASA stressed that its recommendation does not constitute an official closure of the airspace over Iran, Iraq, or Lebanon. Rather, it serves as operational guidance for airlines and aircraft operators to avoid flying through those areas based on risk assessments related to armed conflict, air defense systems, and the potential threat posed to civilian aircraft by missiles or drones.