Ongoing anti-government protests in Iran have led several Middle Eastern airlines to suspend or cancel flights to the country, citing security concerns and causing temporary disruption to international air traffic.

On Friday, January 9, Turkey-based Turkish Airlines suspended five scheduled flights to Tehran.

On the same day, at least 17 flights departing from Dubai to various Iranian cities were cancelled, according to information published on Dubai International Airport’s official website.

Qatar’s Hamad International Airport also confirmed the cancellation of two flights on the Doha–Tehran route. The affected routes included key Iranian cities such as Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad.

Flydubai announced that all Iran-bound flights scheduled for Friday were cancelled due to the prevailing security situation. The airline stated that further decisions would be made after monitoring developments on the ground, although it did not specify the exact reasons behind the cancellations.

Meanwhile, Turkish media reported that in addition to Turkish Airlines, AJet cancelled six flights, while Pegasus Airlines also suspended several routes to Iran. Several additional flights between Doha and Tehran were also grounded.

Aviation analysts believe the flight suspensions reflect growing concerns over Iran’s internal security situation, political instability, and broader economic unrest.

Protests that began in Tehran late last month have since spread to all 31 provinces of Iran. The demonstrations were initially sparked by the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial, soaring inflation, and worsening economic conditions, leading merchants to take to the streets. Large numbers of young people later joined the movement.

In an effort to contain the unrest, Iranian authorities have imposed partial or complete internet shutdowns across the country.