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Iran reopened its airspace on Thursday after a sudden overnight shutdown disrupted flights across the region, although airlines continued to largely avoid the country amid heightened security warnings and ongoing regional tensions.
The notice to air missions, or NOTAM, followed an overnight shutdown that lasted about five hours. was releasedAccording to aviation risk-monitoring site Safe Airspace.
Safe Airspace warns that the main threat to civilian aircraft in Iranian airspace is mis-detection by air defense systems during times of heightened tension, currently rating the overall risk level as “One – Do Not Fly”.
Trump says US will take ‘very strong action’ against Iran if government starts executing protesters
Empty airspace over Iran is seen in this screengrab from Flightradar24 on January 15, 2026, amid rising tensions and concerns about possible military action between the United States and Iran. (FlightRadar24.com/Handout via Reuters)
President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that he has been informed that the killing of protesters in Iran is “stopping.”
He said, “We have been informed and really strongly, but we will find out what it means. But, we have been told that the killings in Iran are stopping.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., disagreed with Trump, writing on Twitter that every indication he sees shows that the Iranian regime’s killing of anti-government protesters “is still in full swing.”
He wrote, “The death toll is increasing every hour. Hope help comes.”
Trump’s envoy reportedly meets with exiled Iranian prince as regime faces protests
Iranians take part in an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, on January 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), who tracks Nationwide protests over human rights violations in Iran continued for the 18th day on Wednesday as authorities almost completely shut down the internet, it said.
Data collected by the group shows that 617 protest meetings were held in 187 cities across the country, at least 18,470 people were arrested and 2,615 persons were confirmed dead.
HRANA said 2,435 of those killed were protesters, including 13 children under the age of 18.
Top Iranian official downplays death toll, blames ‘Israeli plot’ as US considers attack
Cars are burned on the street during a protest over the fall in the value of the currency in Tehran, Iran on January 8, 2026. (Stringer/West Asia via news agency Reuters)
Trump has threatened action against the regime in several Truth Social posts, warning Tehran to stop killing its people.
“We are closed and loaded with stuff and ready to go,” he wrote on New Year’s Day.
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The president said Tuesday he has canceled all meetings with Iranian officials and called on protesters to “occupy their institutions!!!”
“Save the names of murderers and abusers. They will pay a heavy price,” Trump wrote. “Help is on its way,” he wrote.
