Iran closes airspace to commercial aircraft for hours amid tensions with US

Protesters participate in a demonstration in support of the nationwide mass protests in Iran against the government, in Berlin, Germany (Ebrahim Norooz/APi)

Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for hours without explanation early on Thursday as tensions remained high with the United States over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.

The closure ran for more than four hours, according to pilot guidance issued by Iran, which lies on a key East-West flight route.