Iran adviser warns regional air travel will halt if Tehran is barred from flying

An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader has warned that regional aviation would collapse if Tehran cannot fly, as Iraqi airports suspended Iranian flights.

• Mokhber, adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, said that if Iran cannot operate flights or use airport services, no other regional country would be able to either.
• Mokhber wrote on X that Iran's strategy dictates air travel in the region be available to all countries or none.
• Iraq's Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah airports suspended flights to and from Iran on Friday, after Iraq directed its aviation authority to halt Iranian flights to Baghdad.
• The suspensions followed US threats to sanction airports serving Iranian airlines, while the UAE also halted Iranian flights, though carriers continued service to China and Armenia.
• The Abu Dhabi index fell 0.1% and the Dubai index dropped 0.05% as UAE stock exchanges closed lower on Friday.