Iran has partially reopened its airspace for civilian air traffic, nearly two months after closing it in the wake of a US-Israeli military operation. Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing sources in Middle Eastern air navigation services, that normal traffic has resumed in the eastern segment of Iran's airspace, while the western segment remains closed.

Coverage Comparison

The reopening was covered by three TASS dispatches — in English — all of which sourced their details from Iranian and regional air navigation officials, as well as Russian aviation regulators. The first report, published April 13, established that the sky would remain closed for at least another day, until April 14, with a carve-out for state, military, medical, and search-and-rescue aircraft operating under special permits.

The second, April 18 reporting was more detailed: the skies would be partially open under a schedule the sources attributed to a flight regulation, and which was valid through the morning of April 25. The latest story also contains the actual hours of work: six civilian airports, including two in Tehran, to run daily for 11 hours, from 3:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. local time.

The third story changes focus to Russian aviation regulation: Rosaviatsiya, Russia's air transport regulator, said Iranian skyways will be closed to Russian airlines until May 15, citing "own recommendations", "based on the stance" of the Russian transport and foreign ministries. TASS did not refer to the reason of the partial shutoff on the February 28 US-Israeli operation in its report product label.

Key Claims

  • Iran's airspace has "partially reopened" for civilian visitors, whereas the eastern parts are open but the western part remains closed. TASS reported from airports sources.
  • Six civilian airports in Iran are to operate every day for 11 hours — 3:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — from TASS and from an aviation source.
  • Iranian skies will remain off-limits to Russian carriers until May 15, per Russia's Rosaviatsiya authority in one TASS dispatch.
  • The airspace had been closed after what TASS called "a US and Israeli military operation" — an association reported by a single source — with Iranian cities including Tehran, reportedly "affected".
  • Some specific flight categories — state, military, medical, and search and rescue — may be allowed on a case-by-case basis with special permits from civil aviation authority, after the first notice/on request.

Perspectives

Perspective of Russian state reporting:

The events are framed as an aviation-service matter: a controlled, temporary, and regulatory reopening of Iranian airspace, with safety exemptions and a set timetable. The closure is attributed to the operation of the United States and Israel, but without discussion of the military or policy context. The news emphasizes the operational facts — timings, exemptions, rules about Russian airlines — rather than the geopolitical underpinning or the broader conflict.

Perspective of the Iranian aviation official(s):

Their spokespersons (as relayed through TASS) indicate a methodical, regulation-driven handling of the airspace: carefully re-opening "segment by segment" (east/west) according to a set sequence under a cited rule and for specific hours checked. There are the exceptions — state, military, medical, and S&R — that get almost immediate permission, suggesting the aviation officers focus on safety and continuity in normal flights.

TASS news agency's view:

As a state agency, TASS underlines its access to in-region sources and thus ability to pass on the official line. Its articles are written in a calm, static-voiced style with dates and regulations. The measures are all reported as declarative "according to the source said" constructions with no check or analysis.

Corrections & clarifications

This is not a dispute — but a timeline in coverage: the earlier release said the closure would persist until April 19 (in effect, instead of access), while the later release fixed that at 25 April. It probably means the authorities shifted the reopening date to the new one. The third report is the one to add the point that can change: a continued implementation of sorts of the first closures from the second round. All three are from the TASS network, so the "differences" are in the details as time passed.