Turkish Airlines has cancelled all five flights scheduled for Friday, Jan. 9, to the Iranian capital Tehran, amid protests against the rising cost of living, according to the Istanbul Airport app.
Five other flights operated by Iranian airlines have also been cancelled, according to the airport app, while seven others remain scheduled.
Turkish authorities have not commented so far on the situation in Iran, where protesters have challenged the authorities under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Iranian government was already battling an economic crisis after years of sanctions and recovering from the war against Israel in 2025.
Rights groups have accused Iranian security forces of opening fire on demonstrators. Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said Thursday, Jan. 8, that security forces had k!lled at least 45 protesters, including eight minors, since the demonstrations began
According to the specialist website Flight Radar, a Turkish Airlines plane flying to Shiraz and a Pegasus flight to Mashad turned back from Iranian airspace on Thursday night.
Turkey shares a border of around 500 kilometres (300 miles) with Iran, and there are three active land crossings between the two countries.
“Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Lagos-based media personality, Music Artist, Producer, and a Relationship Coach and independent journalist. With over seven years of experience tracking political developments and cultural shifts in Nigeria, he specializes in local current affairs, grassroots politics, and community-driven reporting across Lagos State. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV}, he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
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