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Iran resumes direct flights to Istanbul on April 21, with a Mashhad–Istanbul service scheduled at 7 a.m. local time, becoming the first confirmed route to Türkiye after air traffic was halted for weeks.
The flight surfaces as the earliest sign of international connectivity returning, after authorities allowed ticket sales and began restoring limited operations.
Online platforms show outbound services gradually reopening, with Istanbul placed at the front of the initial rollout.
Air travel between Iran and Türkiye had been suspended since late February, when U.S. and Israeli strikes damaged several airports and brought civilian flights across the country to a standstill.
The restart comes after Iran partially reopened its airspace, which had remained closed to civilian flights since Feb. 28 following those attacks.
Authorities have now reopened the eastern corridor, allowing international departures to resume, with operations expected to pick up gradually as conditions allow.
At the same time, Iran keeps its western airspace closed amid rising tensions around the Persian Gulf and heightened security protocols.
Officials told Russia’s TASS news agency that escalating friction around the Strait of Hormuz, alongside the ongoing U.S. naval blockade, has reinforced Tehran’s decision to maintain tighter control over air traffic along its western borders.
Six civilian airports, including Tehran’s two main hubs, are operating under tight restrictions, with flights limited to an 11-hour window between 03:30 a.m. and 02:30 p.m. local time as part of the phased reopening.
The current setup will stay in place until the morning of April 25.
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