Tehran International Flight Traffic Drops 42% After US Ban

International flight traffic at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport has decreased by 42% following a ban implemented by the Federal government of the United States on September 23. Data from FlightRadar24 indicates that daily international flights dropped from an average of 91 to 53.

The ban led to the total cessation of services to Georgia, Oman, and Azerbaijan. Flights between Tehran and Dubai also stopped on September 23 after the United Arab Emirates announced it would enforce the US restrictions. While flights to China remained stable, Turkey remains the busiest route despite a 19% decline in traffic.

Iranian carriers have responded with diverging strategies. Mahan Air suspended all services to Turkey starting September 20, while Caspian Airlines increased its flight frequency to the country. Other active routes continue to serve Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Malaysia. In a shift toward normalization for some, the Iraqi Ministry of Transport announced that the United States granted permission for Iraq's national carrier to resume flights between Najaf and Iran starting in October.