TEHRAN/NEW DELHI — Iran abruptly closed its airspace to commercial traffic early Thursday morning, January 15, 2026, as the country grapples with one of the deadliest periods of civil unrest in its modern history. The move has sent shockwaves through the global aviation industry, forcing immediate reroutes and cancellations for dozens of flights connecting India, West Asia, and Europe.
Government officials confirmed that the Tehran Flight Information Region (FIR) was sealed off to almost all traffic starting at approximately 3:45 AM IST.
A Sudden “Military Escalation” Closure
The shutdown was communicated with little warning. Indian aviation authorities at the Delhi Area Control Centre (ACC) were first alerted to the situation by their counterparts in Lahore, Pakistan, who cited “military escalation” as the primary driver behind the move.
- Timeline of Chaos: Information first reached Delhi at 3:12 AM IST, though a formal Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) confirming the shutdown was not issued until the closure was already underway at 3:45 AM.
- Exceptions: During the lockdown, only international civil flights with specific, prior authorization from the Iran Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) were permitted to land or depart from within the country. All overflights—the lifeblood of East-West transit—were strictly prohibited.
- The Reroute: Aircraft already in the air, such as Mahan Air flight IRM086 traveling from China to Tehran, were handed off to Lahore ATC as pilots scrambled to find alternative paths. Most traffic was diverted into Pakistani airspace, causing significant congestion.
The closure specifically paralyzed Route G452, a vital “highway in the sky” used by long-haul carriers for its fuel efficiency. By the time the airspace reopened at 7:03 AM IST, the damage to flight schedules was already done.
Air India and Global Response
National carrier Air India was among the first to acknowledge the crisis, warning passengers of significant delays and selective cancellations.
“Due to the emerging situation in Iran and the subsequent closure of its airspace, Air India flights overflying the region are now using alternative routing… some flights where rerouting is not possible are being cancelled,” the airline stated in an early morning update.
The Human Cost: A “Massacre” Behind the Blackout
The aviation disruption is a direct byproduct of the “2026 Iran Massacres.” Since late December 2025, a nationwide uprising sparked by economic collapse and currency devaluation has been met with unprecedented lethal force by state security.
According to data verified by Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) and reports from CBS News, the scale of the violence is staggering:
- Death Toll: While the Iranian government off-the-record admits to roughly 2,000 to 3,000 deaths, independent activist groups place the figure between 3,428 and 12,000. Some sources inside the country fear the true toll could be as high as 20,000 following a systematic “kill zone” operation during a total internet blackout on January 8 and 9.
- Ethnic Disparity: Reports indicate that repression has been most brutal in the “ethnic periphery.” Regions populated by Kurds, Baluchis, and Ahwazi Arabs have faced disproportionate violence, with eyewitnesses reporting the use of heavy DShK machine guns against protesters in cities like Karaj and Rasht.
- Arrests: Over 18,434 individuals are believed to have been detained, with the judiciary threatening mass executions for those labeled “enemies of God.”