Iran protests : Iran extends order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft

U.S. President Donald Trump said that he’s been told “on good authority” that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, even as Tehran has indicated fast trials and executions ahead in its crackdown on protesters.

Iran further extended an order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation early on Thursday (January 15, 2026) as tensions remained high with the United States over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. A notice to pilot said the closure was estimated to last until 7.30 a.m. local time. A previous order had closed the airspace for just over two hours.

The economic triggers for the protests in Iran

In comments to reporters, Doland Trump said he had been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, without providing many details. The shift comes a day after Mr. Trump told protesters in Iran that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” to respond to the Islamic Republic’s deadly crackdown.

Protests sparked by traders’ strike over economic troubles and the falling currency have spread nationwide and turned violent on January 3, 2026. About 2,000 people have so far been killed in protests across Iran, an Iranian official said on Tuesday (January 13, 2026).

Trump questions Reza Pahlavi’s ability to garner support in Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (January 14, 2026) that Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi “seems very nice” but expressed uncertainty over whether Mr. Pahlavi would be able to muster support within Iran to eventually take over.

In an exclusive Reuters interview in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump said there was a chance Iran’s clerical government could collapse.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of demonstrators in Iran, where thousands of people have been reported killed in a crackdown on the unrest against clerical rule. But he was reluctant to lend his full support to Mr. Pahlavi, the son of the deposed shah of Iran, who was ousted from power in 1979.

UN Security Council to meet today on Iran: Presidency

The UN Security Council is slated to meet on Thursday (January 15, 2026) afternoon for “a briefing on the situation in Iran,” according to a spokesman for the Somali presidency.

The scheduling note said the briefing was requested by the United States.

Jaishankar speaks to Iranian Foreign Minister amid unrest; India reiterates travel advice
Foreign Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday (January 14, 2026) spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and discussed the current unrest in Iran as well as the growing regional tensions in West Asia.

New Delhi:

Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet on Thursday said some of their international flights have been affected after Iran shut down its airspace amid widespread protests against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and growing tensions with the United States.

“Due to the emerging situation in Iran, the subsequent closure of its airspace, and in view of the safety of our passengers, Air India flights overflying the region are now using an alternative routing, which may lead to delays. Some Air India flights where currently rerouting is not possible are being cancelled,” the airline said.

Air India advised passengers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.

“Safety of our passengers and crew remain top priority,” it noted.

“Our teams are working diligently to assess the situation and support impacted customers by offering the best possible alternatives,” it said.

“This development is beyond our control, and we regret the disruption it may have caused to your travel plans. If your flight is affected, we encourage you to visit our website to explore flexible rebooking options or to claim a refund, as per your preference,” it added.

SpiceJet also shared a similar travel update and attributed the impact on flights to airspace closure in Iran.

Iran Closes Its Airspace

Iran on Thursday ordered the closing of its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation as tensions remained high with the US over Tehran’s crackdown on nationwide protests. A notice to pilots said the closure was estimated to last until 7:30 am local time, as reported by the news agency Associated Press.

Iran previously closed its airspace during the 12-day war against Israel in June and when it exchanged fire with Israel during the Israel–Hamas war.

“Several airlines have already reduced or suspended services, and most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace,” said the website SafeAirspace, which offers information on conflict areas and air travel. “The situation may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or heightened air defence, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic.”

Iran Says There Will Be “No Hanging Today Or Tomorrow”

Center Asks Indians To Leave Iran, Advises Against Traveling To Country
India on Wednesday asked all its nationals currently resident in Iran to leave by available means as the security situation in the country deteriorated further in view of massive anti-government protests and a crackdown on the protesters.

“In view of the ongoing developments in Iran, Indian nationals are once again strongly advised to avoid traveling to the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice,” the advisory read.

An IndiGo flight from Tajikistan, Georgia to Delhi was reportedly the last non-Iranian plane in the air before Tehran suddenly closed its airspace on Thursday amid the spiraling unrest. As a result of the airspace closure, IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have warned travelers of possible flight disruptions.

Iran shut its airspace early Thursday, issuing a Notice to Airmen (Notam) that halted most flights except a limited number of approved international ones. Flight-tracking data showed skies over Iran and Iraq rapidly emptying ahead of the order.

Iran has extended its airspace closure as tensions remain high amidst the regime’s violent crackdown on anti-Khamenei protests, which has claimed the lives of over 2,400 protesters in the two weeks since unrest erupted on December 28.

According to live flight tracking site Flightradar24, IndiGo flight 6E1808 departed Dublin at 11.29am on Wednesday and landed in Delhi at 7.03am Thursday. The aircraft passed over Iranian airspace around 2.35am.

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