Iraqi Air Navigation Introduces Temporary Routes Between Baghdad and Tehran

The Iraqi General Company for Air Navigation Services announced on Thursday that it had officially notified air traffic controllers of the establishment of new temporary arrival and departure routes connecting the Baghdad Flight Information Region with the Tehran Flight Information Region.

The company’s Deputy Director General, Ahmed Imad Ahmed, said in a press statement that the measure came into effect on Thursday.

He explained that the introduction of these routes followed direct coordination and joint navigation understandings aimed at organizing air traffic and facilitating smoother flights between the two regions, while improving the efficiency of Iraqi airspace operations and reducing flight times and fuel consumption for airlines.

Ahmed said the move is part of the company’s strategic plans to modernize air traffic management and develop Iraq’s air route network, in line with international aviation safety standards adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

He added that the initiative would strengthen Iraq’s role as a vital and secure air corridor in the region.

The introduction of temporary air routes between Baghdad and Tehran comes amid ongoing regional tensions, which have prompted airlines to suspend flights or alter routes to avoid Iranian airspace since renewed tensions emerged in early July.

The reorganization of air corridors in the region has become a recurring necessity whenever military strikes intensify or airspace is fully or partially closed due to security concerns.

Iraq holds a strategically sensitive geographic position between Iran, the Gulf states and the Levant, making its airspace a key passage for international flights. This places Iraqi civil aviation authorities under constant pressure to balance maintaining air traffic continuity and safety with adapting to rapidly changing security and military developments in the surrounding region.