WANA (Apr 22) – Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) has officially lifted previous restrictions on aviation, announcing the resumption of both transit and direct flights to airports within Iran.

 

Restoration of Air Services

In a statement released on Monday, the Russian civil aviation authority confirmed that domestic airlines are once again permitted to operate routes to Iran.

 

This decision allows for the immediate restoration of direct passenger services and the use of Iranian airspace for transit, provided that all safety protocols and instructions from Iranian aviation authorities are strictly followed.

 

Simultaneously, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran announced that it has authorized international passenger flights to resume at Mashhad International Airport effective Monday.

 

A Sudden Shift in Policy

The move marks a significant reversal from earlier directives. Rosaviatsia had previously indicated that Iranian airspace would remain closed until May 15 and had instructed Russian carriers to suspend ticket sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until further notice.

 

While the agency did not explicitly detail the reasons behind the sudden policy shift, it emphasized that the decision to resume flights and reopen ticket sales was made in close coordination with the Russian Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Current Aviation Landscape

Direct Access: Russian airlines may now operate scheduled flights to various Iranian destinations.

 

Transit Operations: International transit routes through Iranian territory have been cleared for use.

 

Operational Requirements: All flights remain subject to real-time directives from Iranian air traffic control to ensure security and compliance.

 

The resumption of these air links is expected to facilitate increased diplomatic and commercial movement between the two nations following a period of restricted regional airspace.